Crusader Lord

Divinus: The Deity Roleplay, Mk. V

Arira

Name

Arira

Domain

Goddess of Cycles - Within all things there is a pattern that lies beneath it all, a force of existence that normally is associated with change. From the changing of the seasons, to the growth of plants and animals, to the to the ever-circling flow of life and death and rebirth, to even changing of the time from day to night and vice-versa, these various 'cycles' and patterns of things form the basis for many things in the world. What rises from the dust will return to it, and from the dust will rise something else to take its place. Some cycles will end, and yet from this others will rise to take their place. Even mortals and gods alike, it seems, are intertwined in their own cycles of rising and falling and so forth. It is the way of all things, for some to rise and some to fall, for some to live and some to die, for some to grow and some to wither away, for some to remain trapped in a maddening loop of perpetuity, and so forth.

Cycles are a deathless concept, an eternal thing rooted in the ebb and flow of existence, a phantasmal 'deus-ex-machina' plinking about within the background of all things...watching on even if others are unaware of it. Even within stagnation, a lack of change, there is a cycle of perpetual idleness and decay that will either snuff itself out, continue on perpetually, or be eventually broken and replaced. Such is the nature of cycles, and such is the nature of their fate.

More Detailed Domain Explanation

To attempt to be more defined, Arira can tweak cycles in a specific sort of way. Imagine it like 'controlling the time of something'. Arira can 'turn back' the cycle of life to give someone youth. She can 'end' the cycle of a disease in the body so it dies off. She can 'fast forward' the cycle of plant growth and accelerate it to a certain point in its life cycle. She can 'halt' the cycle of something, such as aging, in order to give eternal youth (not immortality, just youth). If a curse was placed on a land for 100 years, she can fast-forward the land itself (not the stuff on it or things living in it mind) to the point where the curse is gone...or rewind the cycle back to what it was like before the curse was placed.

She cannot, however, do things outside of what a given 'cycle' naturally contains. Unlike a nature goddess, she could not 'tweak' crops to be extra fruitful or more fertile or more potent. Unlike a life goddess, she can only wind back the cycle of death and bring a dead person back to a point they were at during the cycle in their life before dying....or otherwise push the soul into a cycle of rebirth to get a new body and be born again. But she cannot simply infuse the dead body with life energies, or necromancy it from the dead as a skelly-boi, or so forth.

To a devastated landscape she can return it to a past fruitful and whole state here in current times, but she cannot control the weather to ensure the land will prosper or be extra fertile or so forth. But if a place has always and forever been devastated desert sands then she can't really do anything unless it was somehow part of an ocean in primordial times (which would mean suddenly an ocean within a desert out of the blue if she used her powers to revert to that).

If she tries to end a cycle of maddening war going on in an area, it might accelerate the damage or cut things off abruptly but will bring peace about quicker. However, if those involved still want to make war her power doesn't stop them from doing so. Etc.

~Saucer Comments~

1. When affecting areas or whole wars, the powers affect more than just the land, but interpersonal relations which may stretch far beyond the land. And that's just the mortal-centric view: this world is animist, and trees, flowers and rocks could all potentially have relation networks that span the continent.

I doubt anyone will actually RP a rock or a tree, though, so I won't force you to take that into account, but still.

2. What makes an event cyclical is that it repeats itself, no matter what you do, really, be it reincarnation, the seasons, Chinese dynasties, whatever. I am hesitant to view learning a skill, for example, as a cyclical concept, or to tie cycles too closely to time, because time, no matter how circular a phenomenon, seems to always be that which moves forward. Time never repeats itself; events in time do. If you actually go for the Time domain, of course, the two won't be mutually exclusive, so when that is achieved, you can disregard that comment.

Myth

(One of potentially more, just need to think of more over time is all.)

Myth 1: The Goddess' First Descent, and The Founding

In a humble rural town far, far away, the farmers had long plied their trade underneath the gaze of the gods. They had been humble as their priest demanded, they had been devout as their families had raised them to be, and all seemed to be right with the world. None knew what was to come, the era of doom that was to wash over like a tidal wave....and indeed, when the world began to burn they were left alone and with nothing but despair.

The old gods did not answer their calls and pleas and cries for help.

The clergy disappeared or succumbed to the flames.

The fields were choked by monstrous beasts emerging from the woods, slaughtering cattle and anyone else foolish enough to be outside when they emerged.

Plagues ravaged the humble town, tearing apart families that had long sown the soil and reaped the harvests over untold generations.

Every day was a waking nightmare they were forced to wade through, and so it was for their children and children's children after them. Some spoke as if the world was going to end, abandoning all and leaving, and yet the people desperately sought salvation in any form they could find it. They prayed and toiled, cursed and screamed, anything that some higher power might take pity upon them and save them from their hell.

...And so it was the goddess would ultimately in that town descend the night of one brilliant harvest moon, bright and reddish-orange like the great fires themselves. From sleep were the farmers awoken, being stirred from their restless slumber by a voice as gentle as the night breeze. Outside of their homes they gathered, some hiding in fear and others rushing forward to see what the matter was. Into the town square the majority would come, even as the one who had called them was manifested before their very eyes.

The beasts fled from before her as they had from none else, and yet her appearance gave off a gentle glow that brought the people's hearts to comfort.

But who was this divine figure, who had so brazenly appeared before them? Why had she called them?

"Be not afraid, oh children of the land, for your prayers have finally been heard after all this time.

Be not frightened of the desolation and pain about you, for at this time your sufferings and patience over so long will be at long last rewarded.

I am she who keeps the forces of the world turning. I am the end and the beginning, the beginning and the end.

I am Arira, Goddess of Cycles."

Some questioned her words, some simply stood in awe, others turned away, and more so began to beg and plead upon their knees before her for relief. To each she lent her ear, and to many she gave answer.

In the end, she made them all a promise. They would wake to find their livestock reborn, their fields growing with plenty, their dying finally passed on in peace, and their children healthy and growing. They would be helped to bring an end to the cycle of monsters harassing them in turn, and her first great Prophet would come to them. "So it would be," the goddess said, "and so it shall be done." She would then vanish in a brilliant explosion of light...and immediately after the people would finally awaken from this great vision they had all shared.

It was morning now, and upon all leaving their homes and investigating their loved ones and so forth the people would thusly find her words to be true. The fields, once devastated, had been cycled back to a healthy and growing state full of crops. Their livestock, many once dead from famine and monster attacks, were given rebirth and were now plump and happy and mighty in number. The dying that had been long suffering from disease or ailment were found smiling, gently at peace and having passed on. Their children were too vibrant, full of life, and any of them with maladies found the cycle of those maladies ended in their bodies. It was a grand miracle, a saving grace, something beyond words that those in the town could only look upon in awe and reverence.

And oh, how they did praise that day!

On the morrow her Prophet would arrive, humble and yet in service, donning a simple cloak and yet bringing with him years of battle-hardened experience and the word of his patron Goddess. Yea he would direct them to build a center of worship to Arira in her name, and so would be built the first, grandest, and greatest of her temples to rise from the ground and be built to withstand the test of time. To commemorate the mighty vision they had all shared, they would celebrate her honors every harvest moon and give thanks for her helping them.

Yet as also promised, the great Prophet would begin to organize some among them and teach them the ways to fight and hunt the monsters and disasters that plagued their land. His expertise from years and years of battle served the people well, teaching them and guiding them to wield shot and sword and spear and so forth to protect the land and protect their own. These "Hunters of the Cycle", as they so took on the name of, would dedicate themselves to the Goddess, gain her blessing for and maintain it if they kept their creed, and become a major force to help end the old cycle of terror that had gripped their homeland.

Base Form

To Some A Beginning...

“What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.”

Scripture of the Ararian Church or "Cyclican Church", Book 1, Sermon 1, Verse 1 (IC) (IRL Quote Source: T.S. Elliot)

Angry Form

(Very very rare to see normally...not a good sign at all if you do ever see it though.)

...To Others and End

“Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.”

First Leader of the "Hunters of the Cycle" (IC) (IRL Quote Source: William Congreve)

True Form

The Beginning And The End

“That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.”

The First Prophet of Arira (IC) (actual IRL quote from: H.P. Lovecraft)

Musical Theme

~Base Form~

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgVuQ_Fbs5g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k1F3PjY948

~Angry Form~

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RzA_Oomra8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rdt5XNvPkc

~True Form~

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdxaUJ9J_ew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbwq8ev-EXA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qFqpMa3DyA

From Dawn Till Dusk: A New Era

The Gannor

RACE NAME: Gannor, aka “Dark Elves”

RACE TRAITS:

~0 Points, 0 Picks Left~

Intelligent (-1) - Members of this species show increased levels of cognitive abilities compared to their peers. They are able to learn new skills much faster and develop methods and tools based on them seemingly overnight. The mysteries of the world unravel in front of their eyes, and even the complex and chaotic nature of magic begins to form a pattern.

Athletic (-1) - Members of this species, through evolution or adaptation, have developed a robust cardiovascular system that allows them to keep doing physically demanding tasks for much longer than others, and deal with the generated heat more efficiently.

Wasteful (+1) - Members of this species are particularly wasteful: they have little regard for both money and resources, often choosing to live for today instead of thinking for tomorrow. This results in increased upkeep for their economy, often requiring far more supplies than it would need.

((Specifically applies to them in effect IC in that they love big parties to celebrate big events, so food and alcohol and such is the general area where this is actually focused on.))

~Flavor/Cosmetic Traits~

Small (0) - free pick according to Nis’s rule change on Discord - Their height ranges from 4’6” to 4’10” as adults, these height averages being for males and females respectively, with male keeping to the lower end and females to the taller end of that spectrum rather consistently. 5’2” and above is rather abnormally tall for them as a result...and 4’3” and less being rather abnormally short by their standards.

Pointed Ears (0) - Just the free cosmetic aesthetic of their elven ears, though the shape of their ears does naturally improve their ability to be able to hear some higher and lower frequencies than other races as well as makes them noticeably quicker at locating the source of a given sound.

It is important to note that this is all due to the shape of the ears, a simple minor byproduct of their cosmetic anatomy, and isn’t some form of mega-super-animal-senses on par with super predators or something ridiculous like that. They don’t have the super animal hearing of a wolf or a fox at all, just better hearing than other sentient humanoid creatures like themselves that is all simply due to the shape of their ears.

Skewed Gender Ratio (0) - This particular species possesses a more skewed gender ratio than other sentient species or mammals, possessing a distinctly higher rate of female births than male births within the population. The rather rather standard ratio of females to males in the population is naturally four to five females to every one male. Because the females are taller and stronger naturally, as well as recover far more rapidly after giving birth then the females of other species, the protection and conservation of the rarer and weaker/shorter males has been biologically and societally emphasized by necessity.

However, the rate of pregnancies and births in the population and Gannorian fertility rates all ensure the stable growth and size of the Gannor population overall. The reproduction rate of the species overall does not exceed that of other species with a more balanced gender ratio.

Or to put it much more simply, the species has more females than males but doesn't have an abnormally high birth rate. In other words they are not 'Fast Breeders', but instead have a skewed gender ratio and fertility rate that ultimately fully balances out the growth of their populations.

RACE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

A shorter than average race of humanoid elves with pointy ears and a light tanned skintone, one which only darken or pales some depending on if they get a lot of time in the sun or not. Their hair color ranges from a pale white to a soft or stormy gray to even a bright sterling silver in color, whilst their eye colors range from ruby red, to emerald green, to sapphire blue, to amethyst purple, to even pure gold or silver color. Their shorter bodies are naturally more agile and able to easily outrun larger predators or opponents, as well as allow them to hide more efficiently from others and fit into smaller spaces than many other races. Their fingers are rather nimble when put to work making something, and likewise their bodies are naturally athletic and can handle working for longer times when doing even rather demanding tasks.

Appearance Pic Example(s):

~Average Female Dark Elf Example~

POPULATION: (Up for community vote, depending on traits)

RACE BEHAVIOUR:

A humanoid race that makes up for height with a sense of zeal during the good times, throwing big parties and wasting food over celebrations without a second thought. They can celebrate and party and work for rather long periods of time even under demanding conditions, and as such when they do throw those big wasteful celebrations or feasts they end up outlasting taller and much larger races in general. They tend to see cutting back on a meal during celebratory times and big occasions as almost offensive, as to them a celebration of the good times is something to go hard with! Even taking a foreign guest into one’s home is seen as an occasion to have a large meal at least. Indeed food-based hospitality is a norm of sorts among them...but also is something not abuse or cross in a bad fashion. Of course youth in their society are raised under and exposed to this to learn it from a very young age, but foreigners and those from unfamiliar places might naturally require an explanation of Gannorian food and feasting habits.

Generally the race is usually pleasant to be around if one finds themselves in their company on friendly terms if one reciprocates their friendliness, but likewise hostility will be met with rapid caution and potentially hostility in return if it is bad enough. What they lack in raw muscle and brawn is generally compensated for by them in their raw stamina and cognitive skills, making them a normally very adaptable and hardy group overall.

Family units are composed of four to five females to every one male. The shorter and weaker males will normally find themselves placed in charge of keeping the household in order, while the four to five females will be in charge of it as well as in charge of the gathering, hunting, protection, and preservation of the family unit from the outside. Pregnant females will be cared for at home, and the other females will pick up the slack as well during the pregnancy.

Young in each household will be generally reared by the combined efforts of their mothers and father for the first several years, and will be assisting around the home until they reach adolescence. At this point female children are trained and educated primarily by the mothers, while the fathers take over primary education of any sons. This is all to prepare members of both sexes for the future when they reach maturity and are recognized as adults. However, both the male and female roles in primitive Gannor society are emphasizes equally important to the community as a whole. Without one, the other cannot subsist alone.

This being said, females of the species being the taller, more numerous, and naturally stronger of the two sexes has meant they came to control society. They take up the mantles of leadership, fighting, hunting, gathering, defense, war, and so forth in turn. Hence, the differences between the two sexes have ultimately resulted in a very much matriarchal society among the Gannor.

HISTORY: (You will have plenty to write here once we begin!)

CULTURE: (Same as above, leave it free for now. Will fill up as we get into the game.)

TECHNOLOGIES:

• - Primitive Technology
• -
• -
• -
• -

Divinus: The Deity Roleplay, Mk. V

@AdorableSaucer Well, call me interested in this! :O

From Dawn Till Tusk - The Re-Re-Run

@6slyboy6

The Gannor

RACE NAME: Gannor, aka “Dark Elves”

RACE TRAITS:

~0 Points, 0 Picks Left~

Intelligent (-1) (Members of this species show increased levels of cognitive abilities compared to their peers. They are able to learn new skills much faster and develop methods and tools based on them seemingly overnight. The mysteries of the world unravel in front of their eyes, and even the complex and chaotic nature of magic begins to form a pattern.)

Athletic (-1) (Members of this species, through evolution or adaptation, have developed a robust cardiovascular system that allows them to keep doing physically demanding tasks for much longer than others, and deal with the generated heat more efficiently.)

Wasteful (+1) (Members of this species are particularly wasteful: they have little regard for both money and resources, often choosing to live for today instead of thinking for tomorrow. This results in increased upkeep for their economy, often requiring far more supplies than it would need.) ((Basically how this applies to them in effect IC is that they love big parties to celebrate big events, so food and alcohol and such is the general area where this is actually focused on.))

~Flavor/Cosmetic Traits~

Small (0) (free pick according to Nis’s rule change on Discord) (Their height ranges from 4’6” to 4’10” as adults, these height averages being for males and females respectively, with male keeping to the lower end and females to the taller end of that spectrum rather consistently. 5’2” and above is rather abnormally tall for them as a result...and 4’3” and less being rather abnormally short by their standards.)

Pointed Ears (0) (Just the free cosmetic aesthetic of their elven ears, though the shape of their ears does naturally improve their ability to be able to hear some higher and lower frequencies than other races as well as makes them noticeably quicker at locating the source of a given sound.

It is important to note that this is all due to the shape of the ears, a simple minor byproduct of their cosmetic anatomy, and isn’t some form of mega-super-animal-senses on par with super predators or something ridiculous like that. They don’t have the super animal hearing of a wolf or a fox at all, just better hearing than other sentient humanoid creatures like themselves that is all simply due to the shape of their ears.)

Skewed Gender Ratio (0) (This particular species possesses a more skewed gender ratio than other sentient species or mammals, possessing a distinctly higher rate of female births than male births within the population. The rather rather standard ratio of females to males in the population is naturally four to five females to every one male. Because the females are taller and stronger naturally, as well as recover far more rapidly after giving birth then the females of other species, the protection and conservation of the rarer and weaker/shorter males has been biologically and societally emphasized by necessity.

However, the rate of pregnancies and births in the population and Gannorian fertility rates all ensure the stable growth and size of the Gannor population overall. The reproduction rate of the species overall does not exceed that of other species with a more balanced gender ratio.

Or to put it much more simply, the species has more females than males but doesn't have an abnormally high birth rate. In other words they are not 'Fast Breeders', but instead have a skewed gender ratio and fertility rate that ultimately fully balances out the growth of their populations.)

RACE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

A shorter than average race of humanoid elves with pointy ears and a light tanned skintone, one which only darken or pales some depending on if they get a lot of time in the sun or not. Their hair color ranges from a pale white to a soft or stormy gray to even a bright sterling silver in color, whilst their eye colors range from ruby red, to emerald green, to sapphire blue, to amethyst purple, to even pure gold or silver color. Their shorter bodies are naturally more agile and able to easily outrun larger predators or opponents, as well as allow them to hide more efficiently from others and fit into smaller spaces than many other races. Their fingers are rather nimble when put to work making something, and likewise their bodies are naturally athletic and can handle working for longer times when doing even rather demanding tasks.

Appearance Pic Example(s):

~Average Female Dark Elf Example~

POPULATION: (Up for community vote, depending on traits)

RACE BEHAVIOUR:

A humanoid race that makes up for height with a sense of zeal during the good times, throwing big parties and wasting food over celebrations without a second thought. They can celebrate and party and work for rather long periods of time even under demanding conditions, and as such when they do throw those big wasteful celebrations or feasts they end up outlasting taller and much larger races in general. They tend to see cutting back on a meal during celebratory times and big occasions as almost offensive, as to them a celebration of the good times is something to go hard with! Even taking a foreign guest into one’s home is seen as an occasion to have a large meal at least. Indeed food-based hospitality is a norm of sorts among them...but also is something not abuse or cross in a bad fashion. Of course youth in their society are raised under and exposed to this to learn it from a very young age, but foreigners and those from unfamiliar places might naturally require an explanation of Gannorian food and feasting habits.

Generally the race is usually pleasant to be around if one finds themselves in their company on friendly terms if one reciprocates their friendliness, but likewise hostility will be met with rapid caution and potentially hostility in return if it is bad enough. What they lack in raw muscle and brawn is generally compensated for by them in their raw stamina and cognitive skills, making them a normally very adaptable and hardy group overall.

Family units are composed of four to five females to every one male. The shorter and weaker males will normally find themselves placed in charge of keeping the household in order, while the four to five females will be in charge of it as well as in charge of the gathering, hunting, protection, and preservation of the family unit from the outside. Pregnant females will be cared for at home, and the other females will pick up the slack as well during the pregnancy.

Young in each household will be generally reared by the combined efforts of their mothers and father for the first several years, and will be assisting around the home until they reach adolescence. At this point female children are trained and educated primarily by the mothers, while the fathers take over primary education of any sons. This is all to prepare members of both sexes for the future when they reach maturity and are recognized as adults. However, both the male and female roles in primitive Gannor society are emphasizes equally important to the community as a whole. Without one, the other cannot subsist alone.

This being said, females of the species being the taller, more numerous, and naturally stronger of the two sexes has meant they came to control society. They take up the mantles of leadership, fighting, hunting, gathering, defense, war, and so forth in turn. Hence, the differences between the two sexes have ultimately resulted in a very much matriarchal society among the Gannor.

HISTORY: (You will have plenty to write here once we begin!)

CULTURE: (Same as above, leave it free for now. Will fill up as we get into the game.)

TECHNOLOGIES: Tech tree coming very soon. Until then, the best way to think of your people is the natives on lonely islands on the pacific. Except, they have no culture just yet~

• - Primitive Technology

The Epic of Beginnings - Fragments of a weathered scroll

Leannah

---

...Ok, she needed to revamp that working theory a bit.

Even so the ancient knowledge she was getting a chance to learn here was astoundingly interesting! Plus if the inscription was any more of a clue, then that thing she killed back there might have been one of many...at least if they were what remained of those 'heretics' mentioned in the thing. In which case, was the Guardian there to keep those things in and not people? Perhaps. Maybe the journey that was made from the place, an exodus of people/humanity leaving, were right to leave for some reason. Perhaps those that lingered there were cursed, or otherwise altered by the conditions there due to long-term exposure? Maybe there was a plague, or they tried to tap into untold or meddle with frankly dangerous powers as was common of humans in ancient myth.

Still it was more important to get this puzzle solved and maybe get out of there. But at least it seemed to God of Knowledge wasn't involved with the Tower and prison itself...actually seemed more like he was born after the whole event potentially. The way the inscription was worded, it seemed like "knowledge" had been born after humanity left the Tower where she still assumed they were created in by Delphiti (at least at this point in time).

So a potential timeline was:

-One, you get humanity made back in the Tower and what was now a prison, but over time there seemed to be a division among them. For now, she would have to assume that 'division' was wanting to stay in that place or leave it. Clearly those who left made the 'right' decision by far, whilst those who remained were 'heretics' and also very much 'cursed' for wanting to stay. So perhaps humanity was made there, then was meant to leave the place to go into the world and learn and populate it, but ala a "Garden of Eden"-esque situation some didn't want to leave when they needed to.

-Two, Delphiti the Moon Goddess wept due to the event (at least potentially), and it was her grief over the event that led to an 'overflowing of the cistern' and life springing up. Otherwise something had to make the moon goddess herself weep, leading to the Oceans springing up with 'all life' as Lazhira had mentioned prior.

-Three, humans settling in the world would lead to civilization. That much she felt she could try to read into it. Naturally with civilization and learning about the world came Knowledge. If this was when the God of Knowledge was 'born' or 'created' or however, that would potentially make sense in a mythological (if not magically literal one in this world) context. A deity born of something new arising in the world, in this case 'knowledge'. Again her new working theory, but it felt simpler this time at least.

-Four, what is a God of Knowledge but one who seeks new knowledge? It seemed a natural thing to do, and according to the inscription 'n turn gave birth to the desire for the secrets of the Oceans' and 'Desire turned into actuality'. So, if she was reading into this right, The Illuminator desired the secrets of the Oceans...the only 'secret' of which Leannah could assume was how to create life. Then the God of Knowledge managed to actually acquire the 'secrets of the Oceans', potentially being (in the current theory) the secrets to creating life. In fact, as an addendum to this theory there was one other thing that could be tied to this. If other deities had created other races (like a certain sun goddess making the Bastelian race perhaps) then this knowledge has spread and been used to create more life....again which would make sense within a mythological context potentially at the very least.

-Five, 'thus a seal was made by their accord' seemed to make sense with the 'sealed path' bit Lazhira mentioned earlier. The God of Knowledge, desiring the knowledge of how to make life, made a deal with Delphiti to gain that knowledge in return for helping seal away the complex she and the other Earthers had woken up in and had their bodies eventually 'created' in. Seal away that accursed place and its denizens, and keep others from entering and potentially making the same mistakes or accessing forbidden knowledge or secrets or so forth inside. Or perhaps Delphiti simply didn't want anything to do with that place anymore, so she gave the info simply to have her 'problem' locked away by making a deal with The Illuminator. Still, the "Oceans" made her suspicious of that goddess who had brought them all here, whom she suspected was somehow tied to the oceans naturally but somehow the moon as well? Hmm. Perhaps Delphiti's actions birthed another deity from the Oceans themselves? Was the white child dumped overboard into the seas 'that' goddess, The Illuminator, someone else, or even Lazhira of all people for all she knew?

Regardless, she had her new working theory for now. Likewise with this came a new plan of action for her to take! Hopefully it got the puzzle right this time.

With this in mind, Leannah would reach into the one knowing-looking statue's vase to grab the crystal sphere. She would also study the knowing statue's face and such, seeing if there were any 'recognizable features' akin to the goddess that had brought them all here. If the necklaces weren't doing it, though then this likely would for that bust's reaching hand! The catgirl would then go place the crystal sphere into the hand of the two-faced bust statue. If this represented the 'secrets of the Oceans', then this would be what the Illuminator had wanted! (hopefully) and correctly recreate the myth! That seemed to be the main goal here anyways.

Then what of the necklaces, though? Well, they had to represent something. So once she was done placing the crystal sphere, she went to place the necklace from the tower onto The Hooded Figure (maybe Delphiti?) statue and try to see if it would click it into the space where the other necklace had been before. The teardrop-shaped gem meant that it fit with 'tears', and a star-shape carved into it fit with the star-mark situated within the crescent moon. If that did nothing, she'd then place the necklace into the statue's outstretched hands (or hang it on them otherwise of that didn't work). If all those prior things didn't work, she would see if the gem popped out, albeit not to where she'd break the necklace if it didn't easily come out, and see if she could slot the gem into the carving on the wall The Hooded Figure looked upon.

Hmm. In hindsight of her last theory and this new one, did Delphiti have a child? Wait. White eyes, stars being white in the sky, maybe she had a child who was of the stars? Were they sacrificed to seal the path to the prison or something, and were they actually in fact the goddess who'd brought them all here? Was she some 'guardian' placed to watch over the place as well? After all, there'd been a pillar after leaving the 'prison' and this statue woman was sitting on the pillar itself. Eh, she was theorizing again. Ugh. She had to continue to focus on this first, then she could maybe toss in some more for her theory unless she needed to fight or something.

Still, once she was done there she would turn about and go over to the statue with the vase she'd taken the crystal sphere from. Here she would try to put the heavy stone necklace onto the vase-holding statue's neck. If that did nothing, she go with her gut feeling and put the heavy stone necklace into the vase. If that did nothing, she would resort to trying to put it into the cistern. Something about 'overflowing a cistern' and that action tied to Delphiti, and that picture book had Delphiti dropping some white-eyed child into the ocean, so maybe a heavy necklace might block up the cistern or cause the water to 'overflow' in such a case. If that did nothing she'd grab it back up and hold the stone necklace once more and put it on herself.

Come to think about it on the side, however, the crystal sphere reminded her of the one back on that statue, sitting where maybe some incandescent eldritch deity's head might sit-...hmmm. That was actually something to think on after all of this actually. Maybe not right but it was a fun thought to toss around within the bounds of her theory.

Hopefully, though, her revised but still working theory was better. More so she hoped her actions would generate the right 'combination' to get her out of here.

The Epic of Beginnings - Fragments of a weathered scroll

Leannah

---

In hindsight she should have seen that one coming from a mile away. Well, seen that a trap was very much possible given the nature of this capricious deity and their pushing of people to see what they'd do for knowledge. Especially when such a being was the one whom designed this place (probably). What was this place, designed to trap her or dump her down a deep dank hole the whole way through?! She wanted to learn about that ancient past, about this deity, and frankly get enough skills and knowledge to go kill some elder beast to please the goddess she'd managed to contact. Hopefully none of the others had made such a stupidly rash decision to contact a new deity in the heat of the moment. She had a holy quest to go on, then again said goddess had admittedly good taste in catgirls as well. Hard to argue that.

Then again, perhaps Leannah herself was simply too curious about all of this and was digging her claws too deep into things. As the old saying back home went, "curiosity killed the ca-"...n-never mind. She had walked right into that one as well, pun intended, but speaking of traps she seemed to be simply trapped in the room itself. Indeed, if this deity was a puzzle-loving trap-making sort then there might be a solution to this! Or at least that was her assumptions about all of this. Either way, looking for the clues was something she needed to do...and as she observed the room she took note of the following:

Notably, upon first inspection
- There's a statue of what seems to be a woman in a flowing robe. She is holding a vase in her hands, and is sitting upon some sort of pillar. Water flows from the vase into a cistern below. The statue smirks knowingly. Its centered at the back of the room against the wall. Bookshelves flank either side of it.

- A robed statue is kneeling at the other end. Their face is covered by a hood, arms outstretched towards a carving in the wall. The carving is of a crescent moon, a star situated in the empty part of it. Tears seem to flow down its face into a basin below, where the water collects and flows away under the front wall. Upon their neck is a carved necklace that seems to detach from the statue.

- Another statue is tucked away on the wall opposite to the door you had walked in. A rather macabre thing this one is. A two faced bust statue that seems somewhat to resemble a pair of theater masks, split down the middle of an old man angrily shouting and a woman laughing manically. Atop the head, some sort of claw is reaching up, many tentacles and appendages reaching for the ceiling as though its trying to grab something.

-A final statue, this time on the same wall as the one you walked in on. Rather than a person, it seems to be some sort of carving. Of a tower. You might vaguely recall the same tower you saw off in the distance in the prison you woke up in. Seems as though it might be hollow.

The GM to me over Discord due to time constraints

Ok, other than the whole "can't read the books and such still" thing, these were what stood out the most in the room. A hollow carving, a detach-able necklace, a statue that wanted to hold something, and water flowing into a cistern. That was a good start. Since this was a god's temple, these statues and things were were likely tied to something about the lore and myths behind the god. At least that was her natural assumption. Lazhira had almost mentioned some things earlier, maybe yesterday? Yeah! She'd heard some things today and yesterday.

First there was the wall that had closed behind her, with the hollow-seeming carving on it that resembled that damned tower back in the "magic prison we can't go back to anymore" (not that she wanted to anyways). Last she remembered was Lazhira mentioning that...ah...

“Like I’m sure you guys know the pretty basic stuff about the Delpithi, the Goddess of the Moon. How her Oceans birthed all life right after humans left the tower?” Lazhira shifted on her feet uncomfortably. “A lot of things say something about the ocean, the goddess tears and sealing a path.”

Lazhira

Yes! Humans left the tower and the tears of a goddess sealing the path. So naturally this led her to another statue: The Hooded Figure.

The hooded figure matched this type of role well enough. Crescent moon, the moon being tied to the ocean literally and symbolically, and water or 'tears' flowing down its face and into a basin below and collecting there before flowing away underneath the front wall, aka the tears of a goddess and potentially the whole 'sealing a path' part. So this was likely the 'path' that was sealed, literally speaking potentially her way out of here that had to be opened up. That was what she supposed at this point in time anyways. It was worth a 'first educated guess' at the very least.

So...what then about the other two? That would be its down deduction and a half to try to make.

The macabre, two-faced bust statue was easily a depiction of the God of Knowledge himself based on what Lazhira had told them about him. It reminded her of the picture book, even, which was a potential source to turn to for more information in this peculiar room. It was reaching for something, however, something that it could not grasp. Knowledge? Maybe. The Sun Crown? Not sure if that legend applied here, actually. Hmm. Maybe that necklace on The Hooded Figure?

Wait. Wait wait wait. Maybe she was onto something here.

Ok, so The Hooded Figure could probably be representative of Delphiti (who may or may not be the one that pulled them over here). She had a detachable necklace. The two-faced bust statue was wanting to reach something, as if to grab it. So those two things made sense together on first glance. But what did it mean? If Delphiti was basically the "goddess who created life" due to the whole "life was birthed from the oceans" thing, then maybe the necklace symbolized her power or some knowledge she possessed or something? In such a case, if that bust of the God of Knowledge was reaching for something Delphiti had but he didn't...but what could a God of Knowledge desire that he-...oh. Did he desire the knowledge of how to create life? The one thing Delphiti was known best for doing, her oceans creating life after humans left the tower. It was a damn crazy theory, but her mind was racing and the analogues were coming to mind. It was a possible interpretation, though, if naught else. Yes. Such a thirst for knowledge, like a thirst for water, one that could only be had by a deity that wanted to maybe acquire the knowledge of the one thing he didn't have knowledge of. It read like an old book of ancient Egyptian legends, or a divine twist of the tales about the Book of Thoth.

In such a case, she could imagine a goddess who was sad the people she'd made back at her 'tower' had left. Like a loving creator depicted weeping that their creation left them alone or went astray or abandoned their original home. Like if Adam and Eve had abandoned the Garden of Eden and God had wept over it. Likewise if the God of Knowledge desired the knowledge to create life, maybe the one thing out of their reach, maybe the weeping Delphiti sealed the path to said tower, sealed the path to that-...to the prison. The damn prison. She and the others had awoken in an odd tube type of thing, they all had. It was like waking up in some alien test tube or pod on a scifi show, or a clone waking up in some scifi lab with odd goo or liquid having been used as something to grow the body in. Hell it was like she'd been drowning in the ocean before she woke up in that tube, and symbolically it could be said she was 'born from the sea' ala Aphrodite in some vague manner of speaking. The goddess that sent herself and the others here had even literally made them bodies to be reincarnated into this world, basically. Hell even that guardian thing-...

Ok, she needed to organize her thoughts.

Whoever, Delphiti or not, had brought them to this world using what remained of that old magic, that ancient technology that had been used to create people by Delphiti. However, she did not control the Guardian, she could not promise them safety beyond their initial arrival. So she didn't own nor control the place, which had frankly fallen into some kind of immense ruin and looked like people had been looting the place on their way out. It all made sense. Maybe. Yet she knew of it, she had access to it.

This led into the catgirl's newest working theory, that the Stone Guardian Magic Golem Thing was a jailer made perhaps by Delphiti to keep humans in the tower so they wouldn't leave her. But humans, trying to loot and leave with what they could from that place, escaped anyways. That was why it was like a prison, as it was made to try to contain the goddess' beloved humans who left. Albeit they didn't take their full haul of gear and such things with them as perhaps they were being confronted mid-escape, as evidenced by the weapons and such all over the floor of the building she'd awoken in, but that was beside the point. But why keep others from going back to the place? Wouldn't some want to go there if they found life in the world hard?

That was where the God of Knowledge came into the picture. Desiring the secrets of creating life that Delphiti had, or perhaps specifically humans or sentient beings like them in general for all she knew, and the grieving Delphiti sealed off the path to her lab (now made an abandoned magic prison) to keep that knowledge from The Illuminator. She hid her secrets like the darkest depths of the ocean hide from all light.

That much made the most sense so far. But what of the goddess that brought them there then? How was she tied to this? On one hand, she could be the spurned or 'broken' goddess Delphiti that watched as the world moved on and grew and then stagnated...then got bored and/or worried and snagged some souls from another world entirely to stick in custom bodies to go save it? Hell of a stretch, but maybe. On the other hand, the white-eyed child from the picture book was suspicious and yet didn't match the blue eyes and black hair of the 'goddess' during her first meeting with her after dying back on Earth. Of course being changed by ocean magic or something was possible, or for all she knew the white-eyed child was Lazhira or the God of Knowledge himself. Maybe a kid he had with Delphiti? Ok, too much theorizing beyond the focus of her working theory. Focus. She had to focus.

Regardless, her new current theory of a God of Knowledge wanting something 'precious' from the goddess who created life meant that guessing he wanted the 'knowledge of how to create life' was something. Whether it was right or not it was fascinating to think of, and perhaps gave her clues to get out of this room.

Leannah would first walk over to the carving of the tower, tapping on it and trying to see if she could break it to get inside. If she could she'd see if anything was inside, praying she didn't release some ancient death curse on herself in the process, and if anything was inside she'd grab it up. After these efforts ,she'd go over to the statue of the Hooded Figure, and would try to get the necklace off of her neck. If she could get it off intact, she would take it (and if she found anything inside of the hollow tower carving) and walk over to the Two-Faced Bust statue with the hand reaching up.

From there her plan would diverge depending on what the Tower carving yielded. If she managed to get INTO and also FIND anything inside that hollow tower carving, she'd put it on the reaching hand. If that did not work, she'd try to put the necklace on the hand.

It was a peculiar first attempt at something, but she had all the time in the world at the moment...not that she really wanted to given the others could or could not be in danger and so forth when it came to this blasted temple.

N.E.O. - New Earth Oracle

The Greater Republic of India

Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi

Daksh walked into the building through the clean, automatic glass doors without so much as an ounce of hesitation, yet the bags under his eyes spoke volumes about his current disposition. Nights of damn paperwork from the House and otherwise were a normal daily chore, but the UN investigation into the orbital strike within the Kashmir and Jammu territory had been exhausting to keep up with. They'd been preparing to have all the papers and details and information ready to be gathered or submitted, but even then the sheer travel he'd undergone to the area and back and standing as the public face of the news releases were taking their toll regardless. No less than four cups of coffee were coursing through his body right now, all black no sugar, prying his eyes open but resulting in a throbbing sensation in his skull. To say the least, he wasn't feeling his best but he couldn't afford to slow down his work...especially not after India's contacted representative at the UN CSAT sent him an urgent call in the middle of the night.

Faster than light travel. He was no scientist, but such a thing was no small feat according to the information he'd been told and jotted down that night. So many NLCs needed, and of course a lot would be required to do it. It was something to keep in mind, but speaking in terms of practically approaching anything right now it was lower on the list. He'd merely told the representative to keep him and one or two other individuals updated here in India. That and when calling him to attempt to avoid doing so in the middle of the night, rather than him having to scramble out of bed for paper and pen and frightening his wife all of a sudden in the process to get it all down.

Regardless, as the door to his office clicked shut behind him Daksh promptly sat himself behind his desk and began to look at the neat stacks of papers sitting there. Yes, such a joy. Yet not batting an eye, he began to sift through the ones on top of the first stack before a 'beep' reached his ears. Pausing for a moment, the man simply sighed, put down the papers in order again, and leaned over to his phone to the right and tapped the 'page' button. Of course his secretary was paging him like this, just after he'd had a chance to sit down so early in the morning!

"Chahna, what is it? I have barely had time to sit in my office, much less begin to sort things."

"General Basu is here to see you, should I send him up?"

Arjun, ever the prompt military man. One of India's two generals, and the Chief of the Army Staff, but also a longtime friend of his from their youth. Yet where Daksh had been suited to politics his friend had been best suited to the military. Now here they were in a rather interesting position as two men who seemed to at least want the same thing: India's prosperity. India's growth. India's rise in strength and advancement and character among the nations of the world. But at the very least he'd been expecting him to come in this morning to speak about 'special matters' that needed addressing.

"Yes, send him in."

It would not take long before the characteristic knock of General Basu on the door of Daksh's office would reach the President's ears. The door would then swiftly open as the general stepped in with nothing less than full militarily regalia donning his person. It made Daksh's brows furrow immediately, though he soon put his more professional expression back on and gestured for the general to take a seat. A polite nod later, General Basu would take his seat and remove his hat to let it gently rest in his lap.

"What news do you bring this morning, my old friend?"

"The fleet has been prepared. We are ready to begin operations in the Arabian Sea near Somalia and in the waters near Burma, and recruitment drives to fill the ranks of the naval and land forces have begun. All we need is your signature on something, and we will have all the needed approval to take action. The orbital strike brought attention to the issues of the area, which has been has been a boon to our next step as well as said step generating something of a 'mixed reception' from the Burmese as they've been brought into the spotlight."

"I expected no less from them, but given the situation they have not found themselves able to contain the threat of piracy in their waters. It has put our ships in greater danger, and so we will take action where we must.

Still, speaking of the strike, I got word from General Gupta that the Kashmirian territory has been more secure since."

"Hmm.

The Kashmirian territory has also been more stable since the strike...almost too quiet if I may give my input. The Chief of Defense Staff has been securing the area and setting posts to observe the western border more closely, but I fear they might simply be biding their time for the United Nations to do something about us. Or perhaps they seek to falsify more reports to try to gain ground in their claims."

"Their falsified reports and claims have been disproven well enough to secure our case, that we have made sure of in very painful detail. All that was lost were insurgents trespassing on our land, harassing and killing and taking from our people, and so forth. That crater is a warning, and we have the right to defend our territory with such means if they or anyone else seek encroachment again upon our borders.

Yet I would not put it past them to seek retribution for losing face in front of the UN in light of their hasty and foolish actions. The more swiftly they seek to pursue anything, the worse they shall look in the aftermath indeed."

"That is why we must be prepared if they seek other means of retribution against us, but I fear that is a matter that must be spoken about to General Gupta rather than myself. More so, I have brought the needed document to sign to begin putting an end to the piracy of our seas and ships. All other permissions for it have been acquired that are necessary, which unsurprisingly are much less in number than seeking approval of launching orbital strikes."

The well-dressed man would crack a brief smile before reaching into his coat, withdrawing a nearly-folded form from within and setting it on Daksh's desk. The president would lean over and gently grab it, opening it up and doing a careful visual scan over the contents of the document. A few minutes of silence, save for the clicking and clocking of the old British grandfather clock on the far side of the President's Office, would almost make the air feel as if it had gone still in the room. Yet as he finished, Daksh would crack a small smile himself before grabbing his pen up once more and placing his signature on the bottom line.

"This will be a first step for the good of India and her neighbors," he said, before gingerly handing the paper back to the General with his free hand, sitting back in his chair once more afterward, "And for all of our people to see a brighter future."

---

Just Off the Southern Coast Of Burma, Western Indian Ocean

The stealth destroyer INS Chakrabarti had been sent in as the first wave, and the ship had gone in with two corvettes in order to 'clear the path' and make the first strikes against pirates targets in the water and on the coast. Regular anti-piracy patrols in the sea were being maintained, but a decisive and surprise strike against their operations in the waters to the east of India itself was being made in order to send a message. Any who ignored such a message would be sunk and shot without hesitation. Such was the nature of it. The Burmese government was not taking care of its problems, that much the orbital strike had made clear, and it was in this vein that India had announced it would be taking on measures to 'clear the seas of pirates, and bringing safety to the seas'.

In the first twenty four hours alone they had sunk several vessels, and had discovered a few pirate base locations on the Burmese coast. All the same, though, the message had to be sent as they would gun down any pirates they found along the way. Pirates would not be given quarter if they fought, if surrendered they would be taken back to India for trial and sentencing since the Burmese had been ignoring doing so themselves for the most part. This was merely the first 'shock and awe' effort to pave the start of the remaining anti-pirate operations. To clear the open seas was simply the first step in bringing peace to Southeast Asia and the Arabian Sea for those nations that relied on it.

The same operations the destroyer and corvettes were taking here were simultaneously being taken in the Arabian sea, especially around the Somalian coasts, in order to soften up the pirate presence on the seas. Protection was being offered to foreign ships that desired it in these two seas, but was not being forced upon them either to avoid any potentially complicated issues of diplomacy. International waters were being kept in in all cases, aside from Somalian and Burmese waters somewhat where a greater threat of pirates was present, but petitions had been sent to the Somalian and Burmese governments to invite them to help against the pirates...though any real action being actually taken was utterly unlikely. Not in such disorderly lands at least. Even so it was a gesture of goodwill, but affirmation that Indian forces would not hesitate to push for greater anti-piracy measures for the good of all nations in those seas whether they helped or not.

They had made their intentions clear, and they would back them up with force as necessary.

The Epic of Beginnings - Fragments of a weathered scroll

Leannah

---

Wait, was that-...ok now things were getting creepy. Someone was down the hall there! Well, a silhouette of someone lit by a crystal down there at the end of the hall. So one on hand she had a crystal and could at least see in the dark down here, but a mysterious ancient hallway filled with various rooms and a mysterious figure going down a particular path at the end was something. It all smelled of traps and puzzles and the sort, more so the first thing than anything else. Likewise she had no idea if she could get back to her allies, given the brittle nature of the crystals on the walls, and on top of that no idea if they would come down to her or were occupied with some other kind of trouble up there. It was a terrible situation at best, and left a bad taste in her mouth.

Mostly she just hoped the others would get down here as soon as possible, that the guy who'd tagged along with them would at least say something to the others if he decided to come down.

But in the meantime she could at least do something to scout down here. See where danger was, look for clues, etc, or maybe punch another zombie-experiment-thin in the face or such. Anything was better than sitting idly by not knowing what was going on. However, a particular fairytale did come to mind if she wanted to go explore at the very least. To that end, Leannah broke off some more smaller crystals from the goo pit wall, clutched in her left hand, and walked right to where the hallway deeper in began and the goo ended. Keeping her one good bigger chunk of crystal as a light source in her right hand, holding it up to light her way forward and keep a carefully eye and ear and so forth on the walls and ceiling and such, she kept her left hand full of the smaller crystals down closer to the floor. As she moved she began using her left hand thumb to gently push out the other smaller crystals out and onto the floor to carefully lay a trail of 'breadcrumbs' as she moved. Close enough to the floor they would hopefully not shatter and break, as brittle as the crystals were, but still. It would all hopefully be good enough to lay an easy trail for anyone else who fell down into the pit after her. If anyone.

In this manner, Leannah would move to go down the hall and move to cautiously and carefully enter the Old Library.

If she could get inside safely, she'd set the remaining crystals in her left hand by the open entrance of the room to free up her left hand and finally go about searching inside the library proper for clues, odd objects, books or such in good enough condition to be useful, and frankly if there was something like a secret switch hidden in there or installed on a shelf. She had no clue, but she wanted to be sure about this room and not run like an idiot. Let the figure down the hall walk off this time, she wasn't going to lose her life rushing like an idiot. It was a gamble to follow them either way or not, given how her gamble of putting the orb in the slot had left her stuck down here so far.

"I hope there's something interesting down here...in a good way, and for us that is...I just pray the others will be safe or get down here quickly," the catgirl muttered to herself.

Abilities/Inventory

Abilities:

Physical Conditioning: Peak Human - Her body is naturally tough, durable, and strong. The pinnacle of human physical strength, endurance, and agility. Keep training, and surely she can surpass even stronger beings.

Soul Flare: The ability to turn one’s soul into a weapon itself. Needed for most basic magical feats. Channel the mana present in the air through your body to achieve great feats. Allows one to interact with supernatural things, and perceive things others may not.

Unique/"Cheat" Ability: Suns Disciple - Wherever you go, the sun shines on your path. The sun illuminates you. Keeps you warm, and safe - and yet it burns. Burns you. Burns your foes. Burns everything. The sun of this world is not ruled by the goddess that bought you here. If you desire to strengthen it, seek them out yourself. As it is, you will steadily grow in physical power and endurance as the sun rises up until its peak, and steadily return to your normal strength as the sun falls, until night hits. At the moment, even during noon, you will gain only a minor boost to all physicals. Additionally, you have a minor affinity for Light-based magical feats.

Martial Art Prodigy: A skill denoting a preternatural affinity for the martial arts. At its current level, this ability merely increases your potential for learning martial arts, and does not denote a higher skill level than average. Keep honing your fists and pushing yourself. ("A skill denoting that she knows what she's doing currently, if not being experienced with it. Basically she adjusted to her new body.")

Sunlight (Lesser/Restricted): A skill in which denotes one as being able to cast basic ‘Light’ spells with minor ease. This ability however, has been modified by ‘Suns Disciple’. Spells cast from this family of spells will typically take a form befitting that of the Sun Goddess. Light spells typically are those of healing, restraint, and help. Yours however, take the shape of a burning sun in some fashion. (Something is preventing you from fully using this ability and causing them to be less effective and unstable).

Inventory:

-Clothing: Her initial set of clothing, consisting of what is seen in her appearance pic.

-Golden feather: A feather of unknown origin. Its warm to the touch, and gazing upon it fills you with confidence and a certainty of purpose to accomplish your goals.

-Old picture book: You’re not quite sure what it depicts, aside from various scenes involving what appears to be the God of knowledge and some others. A collection of tales involving him, perhaps? Maybe you should take some time to read it, or ask someone about it.

-Illu Crystal: A crystal of unknown origin, though the god of knowledge is said to have a fondness of these. They shine brightly in the dark, but loose brilliance in the sunlight. No one is quite sure how it works. Brittle, so be careful.

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Ishtar, Lands of Strife

The Kingdom of Thakis

Throne Room, Pharess' Palace

---

Current Throne Room

The grand throne room lied open and vast, its style 'modern' yet yet regal by Thakisian standards. Yet the foundations of it had been built long before she took the throne, and yet even by her time it had seen a great many renovations since she again took the throne of a nation as its ruler. Indeed it had been long shaped by the old Thakisian Royalty, the family that had once held the throne and worked alongside the Senate of the nation. Whilst not similar to the open temple-like structure of her old throne room, the very build of this throne room had been made to her specifications and magnificent size demands as one fit for Thakis itself to reflect its history and peoples: Stone and marble enchanted and carved and made by the best artisans of Thakis' lands both ancient and current to make the walls and floors, the finest woods throughout the land to be used for internal structures and form the outer artistic 'casing' for mighty stone pillars hidden within that all held up the ceiling proper, extravagant sets of golden curtains that closed at a gesture, a grand couch-like throne to lie or sit upon in all of its comfort, braziers and lamps and symbols of the gods of her time scattered about from an ancient age long gone dotted about symmetrically, and even old reds rugs that has been recycled from those who were about prior to her rule that bore a certain Orduin-ish style to them even when paired well with newer ones.

It was centuries and more of history, of art, of Thakis itself that had taken shape to create that throne room. As a scholar, she could not and would not forget that. It was her pride as a ruler that pushed her to create it. Even as a mage she could not help but add a magical touch to the work as well, tied to her own skills and roots.

Though that building she once ruled from in ancient times had been restored proper, but she had preferred to choose her abode to be in this place in order to make things convenient for her living subjects. Yet every time she saw the space, and every time she sat upon the throne itself, she could recall that day she first entered into the palace with such clarity. Almost like it was yesterday...

Old Throne Room

Tapestries had long lined those stone-crafted walls, with colors of royal purples and crimson reds and golds and silvers all aplenty upon them. Servants had been donned in simple red attire to designate them had once walked those halls serving the royal family, well-trimmed and fitted, and even the further attendants and cooks and so forth had been adorned in red servile attire befitting a royal family indeed. Well, one of that era a few centuries ago at least. Shining sets of armor sat upon the walls, weapons hung in a symbolic crossed arrangement like an "X", cabinets displaying ancient treasures and imported valuables from afar, and even family portraits hung upon the walls.

Such an old style...she was glad to have renovated the palace extensively since. Yet even with the aristocratic airs, the grand entrance, the mighty it didn't feel 'truly' Thakisian. It was as if the palace of old was distant, foreign in design, and made for those who sat above the land and away from. This rather than sitting upon a great throne that felt as if it was rooted in the land, in the people, in the nobility, nor did it feel as if it stood as the central pillar of the very nation itself. Perhaps it was simply her own antiquated ideas, scholarly thoughts, and so forth that had shaped such a perception of it back then and even through now, and yet she had to be true to her observations and feelings about it all the same.

Yes, the old Thakisian Royalty had been decadent, backed by the Orduin Empire and virtually put on the throne to ensure alongside the old Senate of Thakis that the land was run smoothly. To ensure that resources that got back to the Orduin Empire. To ensure the peoples of the land were kept orderly and civilized. According to the old records this had been their charge and kept up well enough for many generations, imitating the Orduin structure...both in its advantages and eventual faults.

Oh how the corruption had run deep by the time she stepped in. Oh how deep the cruelties exerted, with Senators and the royals hand in hand hiding themselves away in the seclusion of high walls and isolation. They had left the fighting to the military, to the noble children tossed into positions even if they had not the skills, to a few old stubborn veterans who clung to their old titles and ways so closely, and in the least amount by far the few commoners that had rise in rank only to be shot down bye those of a 'higher blood' who did not act properly in line with the burden of those bloodlines and duties held to them. They had been happy to send orders given to military leaders in the field, let the commoners and lesser nobility fight. They held out looking for Orduin to save them when times got tough for them in turn eventually, and as the war had approached their grounds they were trapped in prisons of their own design.

It was...poetic in a sense. Very few had fled for shelter away in foreign lands, only to die along the way for the most part, fall to vice and their own weaknesses in some vain attempt to live the same lives or regain 'what was lost', or in the end linger on distant soils simply to preserve themselves in some vague and most meager of senses at best.

The armies had stormed inside as she led them with the other rulers of old, and she in particular set many of the soldiers within aside...akin to a child putting up their messy sibling's toys. Men donning armor polished like plates, royal magi attempting to combat someone far out of their league, and servants simply hiding for the sake of their own lives, and desperate attendants trying to flee with riches in their arms, among others, littered the halls and rooms. Many were slain for resistance or other crimes, others surrendered and were given mercy, and yet the most shocking was that a small handful of the very royal guards themselves opened the doors to the throne room for the leaders of the enemy army. Even they had been among those disaffected, and such was only tragedy to see at best. Still she and the others had all come that day to subjugate the throne, for that was their right and imperative and very nature at heart.

Ah, even the executions after had been something of note afterward. Fattened nobles that burnt on the pyres of execution like fuel for great braziers, stinking for days until finally consumed in the flames. Cocky fools who were torn asunder by being tied to several beasts, all for their crimes of abandoning their people. Ancient justice was cruel, perhaps, but all the same order was needed for a land as scarred as this one. It was hard to think the kingdom of old had become a land of war, of death, and of scars cut deeper into the world than any mortal invention or magic could hope to.

Yet they...yes, they had brought order once more. Order, stability, and safety for the people to thrive. Without them they were not rulers, without the people there was no nation to guide to greatness! Such was her personal outlook on it all at least...and the gods had returned to them once more in turn to help bless the land with the gods of the people.

Pharess' Recollections/Memories

"My Pharess."

Sitting upon the throne itself already, the Pharess snapped out of her apparent daydreaming and looked to her right side at the sudden source of the voice. A tall Caeldoni, female, with six intact arms, who knelt before her at the throne very comfortably. This was because the height of the throne room eclipsed even that people's raw size. Upon the female's frame was donned shimmering golden armor, with six mighty blades of the finest Thakisian metal sat sheathed at her sides, and her musculature was both lean and yet more than mighty enough to heft all of those blades with such an ease it was as if they were lighter than air. Even so her still rather curvy and shapely body and shoulder-length-cut white hair were radiant, beautiful in their own ways and forms and manners even in the Pharess' eyes....had ever been so since.

This was the head of the Royal Guard itself, whose name evoked the pride of her peoples' name for themselves: Caeldari. Her very name meant "Greatest Warrior", just as the name of her people meant "Greatest Warriors". A fitting thing for one of Caeldari's status, no? Despite her beauty, she was a warrior worth a whole Taimla unit on her own in battle. That wasn't just saying something either, or boasting up her reputation to ridiculous heights. It was a raw testament to her raw skill and capabilities at the very least.

"My thanks...I find it hard to not reminisce in this room, one so very different from those centuries ago. But let us not waste time," the undead queen said, giving a gesture of her hand and a sigh before having the arches of golden curtains be pulled together to give her and Caeldari privacy before continuing, "Now rise to your feet so we may speak business. I take it you received the reports from General Sylvan?"

"Indeed," Caeldari said, standing up and putting her three sets of hands staunchly to her sides as she stood at attention, though even so her shoulders seemed to relax a bit as she listened to the Pharess' voice, a soft smile almost creeping up on the sides of the Caeldoni woman's mouth listening to her before she lightly coughed to get her professional composure back and speak further, "His reports speak of the usual centaur movements and movement of border guards and forces, and to my mind he seems to be keeping things in well order. Local cities and garrisons have been prepared for next potential incursions, and their usual doubling of temporary levy training and increased local garrison sizes have held well. However, his request for doubling garrison training and patrols is...worrisome, given the rumors of his men and especially the Hercuis ones considering him 'a slave driver' as I have heard it said about his training regiments."

The Pharess felt an imaginary headache bubble up, as if memories of ones during her time among the living were haunting her for a moment. Even so she simply sighed and shook her head slightly.

"He does not need to drive his men and the garrisons into the ground. The doubled yearly levy practices have been fine, and the 50% increased garrisons were approved because the resources were manageable for it in those provinces. Yet I fear his feelings about the Zentaeri League, as deep-seated as they are, will drive him to overstep his bounds one day...and whether his Hercuis troops again or others otherwise there will be many who pay the price in the end."

"...Indeed."

Caeldari seemed to pause for a moment before replying once more, though did not break the professional stance and look she took on. The General had a rather bad history centaurs, that was nothing of surprise to anyone in the Royal Council or in the military chain of command. As talented as the elf was, as skilled as he became, as loyal as he even now was to Thakis with a zeal and a true fervor, he wasn't the same after his son's death and desecration at the hands of centaurs now living in the League.

"His wounds run deep, but he refuses to let me assist his mind somewhat with magic. However, he hasn't gone off of the deep end yet and has been kept from the brink. His use is necessary, his skills are great, but if I must protect my people by replacing him I will make that clear as the emptiest skies and the best of Karynian glass can. So truth be told, I more am speaking and pondering over a 'what if' at best right now rather than a current problem.

In line with this, and returning to reality, I will later today look over the reports more properly myself to ascertain the situation before calling you to my chambers to discuss once more. If such an increase in training and practice drills is indeed necessary, I will perhaps send him a response that he must hand training over to his lower officers if he desires to double their practice and drills. This might mitigate the issue somewhat, at least to make a potential assumption about the effects of that."

"It will be done as you request then, your Grace. I shall save the rest of my thoughts for the later time as well, as my late arrival has cut short our time together..."

The Pharess paused...then after lightly shaking her head leaned up and gestured for Caeldari to learn down to her face-to-face. The undead queen let her fingers gently caress the chin of the Caeldoni woman, and the smallest of smiles came to her face.

"Do not worry Caeldari, my loyal guard, there shall be plenty of time later to talk of this business and speak of many things more. Now go, perform your duties as is fitting of your station. I shall go about my business here for the day in the meantime~"

For a moment the guardswoman seemed to ever so lightly blush at the soft, gentle teasing, and yet the reassurance it gave her seemed to put her heart at ease again somewhat. Still, as the Pharess hand fell back down and the warrior stood back up Caeldari gave a deep bow before swiftly exiting the throne room from the hidden back entrance. Her pace was somewhat quicker than normal, though as she passed through she would run into the two equally as well-armed-and-dressed Royal Guards, one a Dracis and the other a human woman, stationed to protect the other side of that entrance.

"Hey Captain, can I ask ya' something?" the familiarly jovial yet exasperating voice of a certain Dracis Royal Guard called out, albeit almost teasingly as she greeted her captain with a one-handed salute and toothy grin.

"Don't disturb the Captain, Akari! She has business to attend to-!" the human woman began to say, berating her comrade before Caeldari held up a single hand and the human fell into a sudden silence once more.

"Akari, if this question is about myself and the Pharess I must remind you to hold your tongue. All other questions are acceptable. Might I remind you to not prod into mere rumors passed sadly along within the Royal Guard's very own-"

"So did you two finally choose names for your future young yet or what?"

"..."

"..."

"Akari, you will now report to Commander Yui this evening for a one-on-one all-night training session. Full wartime gear. You say anything like that again after this, and I will personally drill you for three days straight until you pass out on your feet from exhaustion, then have the mages revive you, and then drill you three more days until you collapse again."

"...So what I'm hearing is that you are struggling for any 'good' names at the very least. Look, I have a few names I've heard suggested if you need ide-"

"AKARIII!!!"

Meanwhile, a soft but knowing chuckle could almost be heard on the other side of the wall. Well, if there wasn't the very brief shouting going on anyways.

From goblins to godhood (re:monster rp)

Kir

Day 0 || Evening (Before Dark) || Forest

Hmmm, it was getting dark indeed. But she'd taken the time to make sure her work was at least the best quality she could make it out to be. Albeit it was primitive, simple, so 'quality' only went so far. Yet with her finished bow, cloak, and arrows, Kir would don her new single piece of garb and stash her two arrows in it as she held her bow. It all felt 'right' in some sense, so at least there was that much going for her. Yet she did look over at Argos as he complained, simply giving a nod as she began to walk towards him. Sure the day was giving way to night...but that proved to have its own opportunities during this last tiny bit of daylight. A unique opportunity indeed.

"You're right, it's getting dark and we won't be able to hunt many things...but we still have a nice chance for something on the way back. A few small creatures emerging in the evening, maybe tired ones on the way back to their dens and such, that sort of thing.

Don't intend on being stupid enough to sit around at night myself, but right here before it is a perfect chance to get something on the way back from out here in the forest. So let's get moving while the light still lingers."

Part of her was curious about sitting out to see the moon again. It was a pretty sight, but the night wouldn't likely be kind to her either. Bigger things, nastier things, etc coming out to eat and hunt and play in their own way. A little goblin like herself stood no chance, and that didn't take any major knowledge or talking to in order to comprehend. Sometimes death, if those hazy past memory things were any indication, could come suddenly and without warning to take everything from you.

Even so, Kir would begin to take a route back to the Church whilst carefully moving and hunting at the same time to make use of the last bit of daylight along the way. If she found anything to kill she'd recreate an arrow of her and fire it as best she could at the prey to kill it. Better to not stomp around willfully and scare things if she wanted to get something! Besides, her path would ultimately take her back to the Church. She'd also keep an eye out for anything that looked edible otherwise to boot.

***Summary: Kir is heading back in the direction of the Church with Argos, BUT is taking a more circuitous route to hunt prey on the way back. Her intended path will get her back by the time it gets fully dark, but is meant to take advantage of tired daytime creatures hopping back home or small nighttime critters she could hunt that are beginning to wake up and step out at this time of day. In other words, on the trip back to the Church she is taking advantage of the time of day to hunt (and on the side see if anything else edible pops up for her to grab along the way).

EXP/Inventory/Etc

EXP: 0

Inventory:

- x1 Primitive Bow

- x2 Horned Horn Arrows

- x1 Horned Rabbit Pelt Cloak

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Acquired Skills:

-Primitive Crafting: Ancient civilizations used the very same methods as they harvested the base materials at their disposal to make weapons. Learned how to make primitive traps like spike pits, holes, and spike traps. Also learned to make bone/wood weapons such as clubs, bows, slings.

-Knowledge of the Three: Knowledge of the Three Great Gods. Ability to properly worship. Ability to create shrines in honor of the Three Great Gods.

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Titles:

Blessings:

Curses:

Other Info/Notes For Self

As for what those shrines are they represent the 3 main Gods of this world Ramos, shirila, and duelvena There are gods for everything from food to hunts even to keeping yourself clean but each of them isn't as powerful as the 3 main gods I am about to tell you about. First, there is the god of light Ramos he is the god of light and he gives us the very sun we see during the day he is purity itself and as such is mostly worshipped by most creatures in one form or another. Ramos is the exact opposite of the goddess known as Duvelna she is the goddess of death and night. She is death itself and must be respected if not feared for with a single touch of her finger you are dragged down into the netherworld. She gives us the very moon in the sky. Finally, there is Shirila the goddess of the earth as she is the embodiment of the earth and life itself, she is also known as the eternal mother. She gives us the very plants that grow everywhere around us and gives life to it. She in tune with everyone that loves the earth as it should be.

Goblin Grandpa, About The 3 Great Gods