A small band of twenty humans was walking down the riverbank, relocating to a new location, when they heard a shout from the nearby woods.
"Come! Gather around!"
Heads turned to regard the speaker, who stood perched upon a rock, and it took them mere moments to recognize him. For a moment, the group paused. Then, a few eagerly ran forward. The rest soon followed, quickly gathering around him in a semi-circle. Due to the fact that Cadien's past interactions with them had been exclusively benevolent, there was no doubt they were expecting another gift. So, they would receive one. Just not the sort of gift they were expecting.
"Who here is the most beautiful?" Cadien challeneged.
"I am," smiled a black-haired beauty with a curvaceous figure.
"No, it is I!" declared a haughty blond-haired man with a strong physique.
"You are, Cadien!" shouted another, who was just as beautiful as the previous two speakers, but thought this was some sort of test.
"Who here is the strongest?" came Cadien's next question.
"I am!" a tall, bulky man boasted without hesitation. Another man was halfway through an objection when Cadien issued his next challenge.
"Who here is the swiftest?"
"Me!" two cried simultaneously, before immediately glaring at one another.
"And who here is the wisest?"
That took them all off guard. For a moment, they glanced at one another in confusion. Then a few gazes settled on their leader, while others settled on Cadien himself, but for the most part they hesitated. One or two finally worked up the nerve to answer, but just as they were about to speak, Cadien carried on.
"Now who is the kindest?"
No answer to that one.
Cadien shook his head. "You don't know," he told them. "None of you know. You can't agree, and you never will. But... why do you need to agree, when there is no need to compete?"
One of the humans furrowed their brow in confusion. "But... Cadien... we can't all be the best... can we?"
"No, you can't," Cadien confirmed. "But why spend time cutting each other down when you can build each other up? If you think someone is better than you, then learn from them. If you think someone is inferior to you, then teach them. If they surpass you, then your own greatness will live on through them. I speak not just of beauty, but of strength! Of speed! Of kindness! Of wisdom! It is your duty to seek perfection in all things, not just appearance, and no creature - be they divine or mortal - can do so alone. So look to the other gods. To the moon, to the stars, to the sun. They'll all have something to teach you, so learn what you can!"
A few cheers rang out as Cadien finished his speech, while the rest nodded resolutely. He had swayed them. And so, he had went on to charge each and every one of them of not only carrying out these instructions, but also spreading them where possible. They had agreed, and so he left, for there were other tribes to teach.
Cadien gives a sermon to a bunch of humans about the importance of cooperation and the need to share information. He also tells them that it's not enough to seek physical perfection; they must strive for perfection in other areas as well. He concludes his speech by telling them to seek out other gods for advice and assistance.
Neiya had given him much to reflect on. He simply could not get the vision out of his mind. It was not the death itself that troubled him, it was why it had happened, and the reaction that followed. A man had killed another man simply because they loved the same woman, but the woman only loved one of them. It seemed... so illogical. There were more women out there, after all. Why should it matter if one was taken, or wasn't interested? Furthermore, why did the man think that woman would come to love him after he murdered the man she actually did love?
And then, he realized he already knew why. Cadien had given them intellect, but not everyone's judgement was rational. Evandra had given them passion, but not everyone had the power to keep it in check. But the blame was not equal, for Cadien had also given them beauty, and some evidently considered beauty enough to kill for.
He recalled Neiya's words. Some things run deeper than what the eyes can see.
He had been so fixated on the physical perfection. Even when Evandra and he had granted them intelligence and passion, that had only been so they could further appreciate their appearance. It had always been about how a creature looked. Not about what they thought or what they felt. What good was beauty if it made you a victim for another's envy? What good was beauty if it made you arrogant or complacent? He recalled his interaction with Gibbou, and shuddered.
It was not enough to seek perfection of the body. One also had to seek perfection of the mind and spirit. Only a fool would focus on one of these things over the other. And upon this realization, Cadien rose to his feet.
He had been a fool.
No longer.
Cadien contemplates his meeting with Neiya and the vision she showed him. He realizes his fixation on appearance is dangerous if it is not tempered by other things.
Cadien decided he had had enough of space. There was still quite a bit left to explore, such as that extremely oversized god in the distance, but to be completely truthful, exploring the stars had lost its novelty.
“Well, then, my friend,” he said to his mount. “I suppose it’s time we head back down.”
But the dragon refused to move. Tilting its head back up toward the moon Cadien had created. The God sighed. He should have expected that, really. The creature had been built with the intention of exploring space, so naturally, space was its preferred habitat and where it would choose to remain.
So, the god flew back to the purple moon he had created, and hopped off, landing gracefully on the ground before turning to regard his creature. “This is where we’ll be parting ways, I’m afraid,” Cadien told the creature sadly.
To its credit, the colossal dragon actually managed to look sad as well.
“No, no, it’s for the best,” Cadien shook his head, and raised a hand as if to forestall an objection from this creature that could not speak. “You’re happiest up here, I’m happiest down there. Don’t worry though, I’ll still find the time to visit. Keep this place safe while I’m gone. And don’t bother Gibbou, alright?”
The dragon snorted, which Cadien understood to convey acceptance. “Very well,” he said, his expression brightening somewhat. “I still need to name you, though, so I’ve decided to call you Zulross.”
Zulross blinked, but said nothing.
“Good, good! I’m glad we’re in agreement, Zulross,” Cadien smiled. “In that case, I must go. The planet needs me.”
Then the God of Perfection leapt, exited his moon’s orbit, and began his fall to Galbar.
Neiya didn’t know how long it had been since she returned to follow the river, floating above it with her feet barely touching the water - just as she had known the world when she first came into it. Along waterfalls, curious but mindless animals, and a fearful group of humans watching her glide along above the waterway from the riverbank.
Time didn’t matter. However long she waited, the voices continued to follow her. Distance didn’t matter. Whatever distance she put between herself and that original encounter, the flood of emotions continued unabated. No sight along the highlands seemed to capture her interest beyond a brief glance. What mattered was her own thoughts, the voices, the emotions. All those who pined, and loved, and cried. She heard Aira wail in her head still, and felt a pang of regret in her stomach. Perhaps she should have done more for such a pure soul? Perhaps she could go back? No. It was too late now. She would have to do better in the future.
But almost in an instant, the goddess found herself drawn out of her thoughts. The river had vanished under her feet, and instead an endless expanse of rippling blue waves extended almost as far as she could see. It was enough to give her pause, attention stolen by the beautiful rhythm of waves rolling against the rocks, and rippling out in the expanse.
It was as good a place as any to stay with her thoughts, she reasoned, and hovered gingerly out over the rolling waves to watch the ocean in peace.
The peace did not last. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of an object falling from a vast height; quite literally burning its way through the atmosphere. Upon looking up, she would see that a large fireball was indeed about to land nearby, with the outline of a humanoid figure curled up at its center.
Neiya traced the object with morbid fascination. The sight was unlike any other; and she was certain no mortal creature she had met would survive immolation. Biting her lip in brief thought, she watched as the curious object fell from the sky. As it neared the water, she instinctively closed the distance to where it would land.
Then, it struck, smashing through the water’s surface with the force of a meteor. A colossal splash rose up, followed by a great ripple as the water turned pitch white from the foam. Then, slowly, it began to settle… until the object that had fallen decided to come back up.
He rose gracefully from the water. First to appear was his head; a handsome face with violet eyes, a wide grin, and a head of shiny wet hair. After that came a pair of strong broad shoulders, then a powerful muscular torso with glistening abs, and finally his lower half, which was equally strong and flawless. He leapt perhaps a foot or two above the water’s surface, before landing on the ocean as if it were solid ground. He turned to regard Neiya, who watched from afar.
“Oh hello!” he greeted her. “I was not expecting to meet another god so soon!”
Neiya took a long look at the handsome god, with equal measures of guilty curiosity and fascination. As he spoke, she caught herself in thought and shook out of it, regarding his face and expression. “...Hello,” she responded demurely, and glanced back up towards the sky. “Were you just brought into the world?”
The man stroked his chin in thought. “Hmm… well, that depends on what you mean. I did technically just bring myself into this world, when I fell from above, as you saw. But if you mean existence, then no, I existed long before that.” Then, he stretched out his limbs and leapt forward, landing only a few feet away from her. Once again his feet found solid purchase on the ocean, as if it was solid ground, and not a single splash was created.
“I’m Cadien. God of Perfection, and the Master of Mankind,” he introduced himself with a smile, before appraising her face. “I must say, you have such marvelous hair,” he remarked.
Neiya held her breath with a brief gasp, watching the man draw closer with baited fascination. “Oh,” She found herself intoning briefly, looking away and up towards the sky again as she subconsciously ran a hand to her hair. “..Thank you. I have heard your name before, Cadien. Members of your flock were present upon my arrival.”
She offered a brief pause, before clearing her throat, and glancing back at him. “I am Neiya, Goddess of Love,” she offered at last, tasting the word love with a frown. It was bittersweet.
“Goddess of Love, hmm?” Cadien asked, raising a suggestive eyebrow which vanished just as quickly as it appeared, when he recalled his earlier resolution. “Well, it’s good to meet you. I’m not sure about this ‘flock’ you speak of - I suppose you must mean the humans? I have been doing a lot of work to see them improve, so it’s good that they remember me. How are they, anyway?”
Her eyes followed his features as he spoke, slowly straightening out the hair she had subconsciously curled. “Well, humans. Yes. They’re-...” she drifted off in response, closing her ice-blue eyes as she batted away the stir of emotion. “They have such potential. Such yearning. And yet-...”
Neiya opened her eyes once more, watching the man with emotion welling up in her gaze. Drifting slowly across the water towards Cadien, she extended her hand towards his cheek. “Let me show you.”
Cadien’s smile faded, once more wondering if he had somehow managed to disturb yet another goddess, but then she extended her hand. “Very well,” he said seriously, as his expression became just as solemn as hers, and he took another step forward.
It was all she knew, and perhaps it was a burden that could be shared. With the god stepping forward in acceptance, she gently laid her hand against his cheek, ice blue eyes watching him with growing sadness as she opened herself to share just a margin of the grief. A flash of the wailing woman, the tribe in mourning, and the man with a drive that drove him to murder. The cycle of love that she endured. “I am sorry,” she whispered as she offered her gift.
Cadien stared at her in confusion as the first of the scenes flashed through his mind. Then confusion turned to concern, as he gradually began to process what he was seeing. Then came a brief flash of anger, which almost immediately faded away into a depressing sort of glumness. His hand slowly creeped up, and he gently placed it overtop the one that touched his cheek.
”I... “ he began, as if suddenly seeing the world in a new light. “I had no idea…”
Neiya ran her thumb gently along his cheek, tilting her head as she let the pain of grief abate and recede back into the depths of her own being, seeing no reason to continue the torment. Still her hand remained, held by his own. “This is what love brings. It is their curse, and mine. Your flock will all experience this pain, the dullness of grief.”
Cadien slowly removed her hand from his cheek, but did not let go. He continued to hold it, and then slowly stepped in to pull her into a comforting embrace, ensuring his movements were slow enough that she would have ample time to pull back if she wanted to.
But the goddess did not recoil. With grace she rested her head against him in serene silence, quickly learning to tilt her head inwards to avoid touching him more than necessary with her horns. She seemed content to remain there in his embrace, and though she did not return it, she moved her hand to gently squeeze his.
However long it was they remained in this embrace, eventually a simple thought and question bubbled to the surface; “...Did.. you make the water?”
The question stunned Cadien, as he too had almost been lost in the moment. “I… no, I did not,” he told her. “And I do not know who did.”
“I am surprised,” she intoned quietly. “Who would make such a beautiful thing, if not the God of Perfection?” With that, she gently broke away from the god, her hand moving once more to briefly stroke at his cheek in her retreat. For just a moment, she appeared to be at peace - not a smile, but calmer.
“I make people beautiful,” Cadien gave her a slight smile. “Though, you seem to need none of my help there.”
Neiya seemed torn at that. After an initial pause her mood seemed to dim once more, and she glanced first at the black horns rising in a tangle on her shoulder, before glancing out over the sea. “I doubt anyone can help me,” she answered wistfully. “Some things run deeper than what the eyes can see.”
She sighed softly, catching herself in her gloom, and looked back at him. “But perhaps you’ll show me one day. I think I would like that.”
“Then I will,” he nodded. “Some day. As for you… if you ever need someone to talk to, about the things you’ve experienced… to share your burdens with… I’ll be there. What you showed me - I needed to see that. And you shouldn’t have to deal with it alone.”
Neiya watched Cadien for a long time, eternally sorrowful eyes tracing over his face. “You wish me well, yet know not what you offer,” She raised her hand towards him slowly once more, but caught herself and curled it inwards towards her chest instead. “But I will remember you, Cadien, and your offer. I’ve stolen enough of your attention. For now.”
“Have you stolen it, or have I given it?” Cadien wondered. “But… as you wish. We will meet again.”
Cadien decides it’s time to go back down to Galbar, but his dragon won’t accompany him. So he finally decides to give the dragon a name - Zulross - and leaves it behind on the moon he created. He then allows himself to fall back down to Galbar.
Neiya, meanwhile, had been travelling downriver through the Boreal Highlands, only to come across the ocean. Her thoughts were swiftly interrupted by Cadien landing in the water. They talk a bit, with Cadien acting like his usual self, but Neiya is depressed, and decides to show Cadien what’s troubling her. Cadien listens, and is exposed to the scene of the earlier murder.
He then attempts to comfort her, and the two exchange a fairly tender moment. Cadien wishes to help her further, but Neiya does not think she can be helped, and eventually chooses to part ways. Cadien reluctantly lets her leave, but not before promising to meet her again.
Space was a vast frontier, yet aside from the occasional star or piece of debris, there was very little to obstruct a god’s sight. Aside from the moons, and Galbar itself, of course. So it didn’t take long for Cadien to locate Sirius. Spotting him hiding amongst the stars, the God of Perfection spurred his dragon onward, making a beeline for him.
As the dragon flew forward, the celestial wrens began to fly towards the massive creature, their wing beats echoed through the hidden energies of the far reaches. As they did, Sirius slowly turned around and symbols floating around him slowly began to fade.
“You there!” Cadien called out as he neared the figure, “would you be this ‘Keeper of the Stars’ I heard about?”
“I am the sovereign of the stars, yes. You may call me Sirius, brother.” he stated calmly. He waved one of his hands, and the birds dispersed. A good thing too, for the dragon had begun to eye them with something resembling hunger in its eye.
“Hmm… good to meet you, then!” Cadien greeted him. “My name is Cadien, God of Perfection and the Master of Mankind.” That ladder title had been made up on the spot, but sounded right. “I met one who called himself Nicholas, while I was on Galbar.”
“Yes, he called out to the stars for aid, and I answered.” he responded.
“Hmm… and you told him to go west… to cross a body of water, and find a new land where he would be safe, yes?”
Sirius paused for a moment, “I revealed to him the location of a land I favored, and I gave him the ability to find it. It was across the ocean from where he was at.”
Hmm… that was not how Nicholas had phrased it. So it seemed that the mortal had indeed failed to properly communicate his master’s directions. No matter. “Could I ask why?” Cadien questioned with a raised eyebrow.
“I have plans for the region, but the reason is simple. He had fallen. He was about to surrender. He didn’t need a destination. He needed the journey.” Sirius answered.
“Fallen, how?” Cadien asked.
“Mortal life is fragile. They have strength, but do not fully comprehend how to harness it. He was restless, hungry, and thirsty. The elements would have taken him. I simply gave him the strength to stand.” he replied.
“I am well aware that mortal life is fragile,” Cadien said, somewhat flatly. “I meant: what about this mortal made you favour him over any other?”
“As I said, he invoked the stars. I intend to help other mortals, but I need time to prepare. There is also still much work to be done to preserve the stars.” the star god answered.
“And what is it you are preparing for?”
“I am creating a pattern, the Zodiac. It is to aid mortals understand the stars and themselves. However, the pattern requires symbols. I currently have five of the twelve symbols I require. I could assign the symbols to just anything, but that would be foolish. Such things are important.” Sirius replied, matter of factly, drawing the symbol of the whale, sheep, wren, kirin, and snake in the air.
The Perfectionist furrowed his brow. “And you based these symbols off animals from Galbar? What do they represent?”
“The pattern is incomplete, but they represent the six forces of the outer reaches and the six virtues of the stars, woven together. The whale is resilience, the sheep is the hidden push and pull between the stars, the wren is observance, the kirin is the stars undivided, and the snake is cunning.” he replied.
“Hmm… and how does this benefit the mortals?”
“One day, I intend for them to act with the virtues of the stars in order to manipulate the celestial forces, but they are not yet ready to handle such power. In addition, I am intending to better open their senses and to allow them to master their intuition, which is the riddle I am currently attempting to solve.” he answered.
Cadien did not understand why the stars were needed for that, but decided not to question the strange god’s riddles further. “Hmph. Have you set foot on Galbar, yet?”
“It is lovely is it not?” he answered.
“It is indeed,” Cadien nodded. “Can I ask where precisely you have been?”
“I have touched the grassland I have sent Nicolas too, and raised the Zodiac Stones there. It is an important touchstone for my future plans.” he replied.
“I think you should spend more time down there,” Cadien suggested. “You’ll be surprised at how much you miss simply by observing from afar.”
“I believe that I should.” Sirius replied.
Cadien nodded. “It is good that you agree. These stars look nice, but I find mortals to be far more interesting. Now… would you have any questions for me, or shall I be on my way?”
“Do you prefer the sea turtles, or the ones who live on land?” Sirius replied in his normal, soft tone of voice.
“A strange question. I have yet to encounter any turtles who live in the sea, so I cannot say.”
“Very well. I have no other questions.” Sirius replied.
“Hmm… well, if you need creatures to base your symbols off of, consider this one,” Cadien suggested, patting his dragon on the head. “He’s one of a kind, and I’ve seen no creature that was mightier. On that note, I’ll be off.” And with those words, the dragon turned and began to fly away.
After meeting with Gibbou, Cadien and his dragon fly to meet Sirius. They introduce themselves, and they talk about Nicolas and the Zodiac, and its purpose. Cadien asks if Sirius had been on Galbar, and Sirius avoids the question. Cadien opens himself to questions, to which Sirius asks if he prefers sea or land turtles. Cadien, confused, brags about his dragon and leaves.
The meeting with Nicholas had intrigued him, prompting Cadien to embark on a journey of his own. He would have to leave the humans behind for the time being, but so be it. Besides, the more devout amongst the species had already taken to praying to him - he could hear their thoughts and voices even when he was far away. They had proven to be a reliable source of information, even if that did mean answering the occasional inane question from time to time.
So, without further ado, the God of Perfection had travelled west, by way of massive leaps to propel himself over the vast distance. No doubt it was a strange sight to any observer, to see a strange white-haired human leap several dozen feet into the air, do a series of majestic flips and twirls, then land only to do the same thing again. But he made swift progress, carrying on regardless of time or weather.
He left the Highlands after a few days and found a vast plain, full of new life. He briefly wondered if this was the area Nicholas had referred to, before recalling that he had yeto cross a “large body of water.”
So he carried on, jumping and leaping, until after several days he eventually came across a channel of water, with an island on the other side. He supposed that by Nicholas’s standards, this would be considered large enough to have trouble crossing.
Fortunately, Cadien was a god, so he simply continued leaping across, landing on the water as if it were solid ground before jumping again, until eventually he arrived on the island itself. It was a heavily wooded area, even more so than either of the two regions he had visited previously. At a glance, he could tell that nearly everything was damp, and especially resistant to fire. What would Evandra think of this place? He thought to himself.
But Cadien himself had no real reason to dislike it, and so, he began to explore.
After a few days of exploration, Cadien found himself confused, and more than a little disappointed.
While the island held all sorts of new, exotic, and interesting types of life, he failed to find anything which made it inherently safer than the land Nicholas had been so determined to leave behind. Although it was day, he briefly glanced up at the sky, shaking his head disapprovingly at the ‘keeper of the stars’ who lurked somewhere up there. Then again, it could be possible that he had simply found the wrong place - perhaps Nicholas had lied about the directions, or left out some crucial detail?
Beyond possessing different scenery and some exotic creatures, there really wasn’t anything this place had to offer to be worth his time. It didn’t have any intelligent life, and there didn’t seem to be anything to the island beyond this one forest.
But as a god, he had the power to change that.
So, he did.
Travelling to the island’s north, where the land was red and barren - seemingly too cold to support the rest of the forest - Cadien raised mountains from the ground, walling the entire region off. He sensed an unusual amount of heat beneath the earth, and that gave him another idea. He created pools of water - springs - positioning them in and at the base of the mountains. The largest of them all was in the very center; shallow at the edges, but gradually deepening to hundreds of feet as one came near the center.
They would be fed by rain, snow, and the mountains’ glaciers, but warmed by the heat from beneath the earth, providing comfort from the cold and crisp northern air. Grass then sprouted from the rest of the ground, along with some shrubs and even some especially hardy berry bushes and flowers. He populated the area with a number of small animals and insects, and even the Salamanders he had seen elsewhere on the island.
It was night by the time it was all over. Cadien sat down in one of his newly created hot springs, casting his gaze to the stars. Galbar was a vast world, and he had only seen a small portion of it. Where would he go after this? Back to the Highlands? Or should he continue exploring?
Then his gaze settled on the moon, and an idea came to him.
He decided he would go there, and so, on a whim, he began floating up to it. Yet his progress was to slow. Then, another idea occurred.
He fell back to the ground and approached a nearby salamander. The creature hissed at him, but eventually he was able to calm it down enough for it to let him approach. He gently laid a hand on the back of the creature’s head… then, his power began to flow into the beast. Its scales turned to a dark purple, spikes jutted from its head, its eyes became like glowing amethysts, and a pair of wings sprouted from its back.
Then, it began to grow - Cadien was forced to back away as it rapidly expanded toward him. It grew to be a hundred meters in length, with a wingspan that was twice that. The creature outstretched its wings, looked up to the sky, and roared - a sound that could be heard for miles. Then it looked down to Cadien expectantly.
The God of Perfection smiled. “Come now, my new companion. We have a sky to explore!”
Cadien leaps his way across Toraan, pillarmen theme blaring all the way, until eventually he arrives in the Torchless Woods. He explores the area, before deciding to make a new ecosystem in the north: a volcanic tundra, surrounded by mountains, with several hot springs. He then contemplates the sheer size and scale of Galbar, before building a giant dragon to fly him to space.
Cadien Beginning MP: 4 Beginning DP: 3 -0MP to create the Volcanic Hot Springs ecosystem. -1MP to create the Lunar Dragon. Ending MP: 3 Ending DP: 3
The first weeks of Cadien’s existence had not been particularly different from the first day.
He wandered from tribe to tribe, granting them the gift of beauty - experimenting each time, but ultimately leaving each one better-looking than when he found them - before moving on without looking back. It was satisfying, if somewhat repetitive work, but he soon realized simply improving their appearance would not be enough.
They were lacking in other areas - not just physical, and he wasn’t sure how to address that just yet. So he decided he would solve the issue of appearance first, before moving on to more complex matters. That said, while handcrafting each human’s design by hand was fun, it was far from the most efficient way to go about this. He was beginning to think of other ways to go about this. So far, he did not know of a way to be in two places at once…
For now, he was carrying on with the same routine. He stood before a tribe of humans, and one by one, bestowed his blessing upon them. One by one, their bodies morphed, and they were all satisfied with the result. Once it was over, he gave them his name and departed, though this time he chose to do in style.
Taking a running start, he leapt through the air, his divine power allowing him to leap to heights no mere mortal could ever hope to reach. He soared over the wide river, did a series of backflips, and landed gracefully in an overdramatic pose, crossing his arms at the wrist.
“I was wondering just what it was that I had felt when I reached this continent.” A womanly voice called from behind Cadien. He turned his head to see who was the source of. A woman with long golden hair and well trimmed figure was standing there, holding her chin with a hand as she eyed down the god. “As it turned out it was a sibling of mine.” The woman said as she walked slowly towards Cadien. Growing flames hovered around her.
Cadien eyed her in return. “I was wondering how long it would take to meet another of our kind,” he said seriously, before breaking out into a slight smile. “Good to meet you. I must say, you’ve chosen a wonderful form.”
“Why thank you.” she said, returning the smile along with a blush. “You look wonderful yourself, brother. My name is Evandra, Goddess of fire. What about you?”
The smile widened slightly. “Cadien, God of Perfection,” he introduced himself with a slight dip of his head. “I’m rather new to this existence, I must admit. The force that created me simply did not want to let me go.”
“I suppose a troubled birth is to be expected of every god. The Goddesses of the Sun and Moon tore through reality and I’m told a boar was born from the Moon’s rock. I myself came from the white heat of the Sun.”
The God arched an eyebrow. “Oh? And how was that?”
“Quite violent. Oraelia was flustered by the Sun’s activity right before I came to be, and the heat made the ocean boil.”
He stroked his chin. “Mmm… well, it’s good to know you emerged from all that intact. I suppose my own creation was far more peaceful by comparison. I broke free from the Lifeblood, willed myself into existence, and fell down to Galbar from the sky. Some other creatures had been nearby - they were rather hideous, I must say, but I went ahead and fixed that.”
“Fixed? What God made creatures to be hideous in the first place?” Evandra raised an eyebrow.
“I know, that was my reaction too,” Cadien nodded, shuddering slightly as he recalled what the species originally looked like - and much of it still did. “The Lifeblood created them. I was still part of the Lifeblood back then, and I urged it to improve them, but it did not listen. That’s why I broke free. Imagine it! One of the most powerful forces in existence deliberately letting things remain ugly!”
“The source of our own essence? How shameful. At least we Gods can undo its mistakes. So what creature was it that you worked on? And what were the improvements?”
“I shall show you,” Cadien said. With a wave of his hand he willed one of the Early Humans into existence.
It was as Cadien said: ugly, at least by their standards. It was a man. His eyes were too far apart, his forehead and jaw too wide, his eyebrows extending too far out from its skull, and its nose far too large. Its body was covered in short patches of scraggly hair. Evandra looked at it with mild disgust as her flames died out. How could these humans come from the same power as herself and be so apart in every aspect from each other?
“This is what they originally looked like,” Cadien said grimly, as if the man was dying and beyond all hope. The man himself looked around in a mixture of fear and confusion. “And these are the sorts of improvements I have been making to them.” He snapped his fingers, and at once the man shifted into a more pleasing form. One that closely resembled Cadien, but was shorter, less muscular, and lacked the God’s unnatural hair and eye colour.
Newly made and newly changed, the improved human then panicked and fled into the nearby woods.
“You certainly did them a favor by making them pleasing to the eye. Although that reaction is disappointing. Having the gall to flee from us.” Her displeasure evident as she scoffed.
He nodded. “Their reactions often are. They don’t usually run after receiving my gifts, but at first all they do is stare at themselves or others. Then I return a few days later, and they’ve fallen back into the same lifestyle and habits. The problem, I think, isn’t just their appearance - it’s the way they think and perceive. They’re bright enough to want to be more than what they are now, but not bright enough or motivated enough to do anything about it. A shame. That’s what I’m going to have to work on next.”
“Motivation, hmm? They wished to become beautiful, but it was probably out of convenience of your presence. And that one broke down in fear and fled…” Evandra thought aloud. “They sorely lack a strong will, it would seem. Even the beasts I spawned were better off in that aspect. If they are to reflect us Gods in body they should also reflect us in spirit. We who have the drive to improve, we who have the desire to create. They should be more like…” A thought crossed Evandra’s mind. A smile formed in her face as her flames ignited once more. “Like myself.” She returned her attention to Cadien. “I suppose I can do that part for you, dear brother. If they lack passion then none better than myself to grant it to them.”
Cadien’s eyes flickered across her form with renewed interest. “Is that so?” he asked with a smirk. “Very well. As for me, I’ll do what I can to improve their intellect. I look forward to working with you.”
“If our alliance lasts as long as it takes for me to accomplish this, I’m afraid it would be short lived.” She walked to a nearby bush and knelt down beside it. Its twigs carried small fruits just about to ripen. With a thought her flames engulfed the plant, but it didn’t burn. In fact the fire seemed as if it was being drained into the bush. Its leaves turned from a lively green to fiery scarlet, and its berries from dark blue to garnet.
Cadien approached the bush and knelt next to her with a look of curiosity. He plucked a berry from the bush and then tossed it into his mouth. “Oh, I see,” he said, immediately tasting the berry’s intended effect. “A good idea. I think this will work. I just need to add my own touch. With your permission?”
“Of course. Go ahead.”
Cadien extended his hand. His palm began to grow a bright purple, and for a few moments he hovered it over the bush, as his power gently glowed into the berries. No visual change overtook them, but he plucked a second berry and ate that too, before removing the seed from his mouth. “Yes. This fruit will do the trick. We just need more of it.”
“Fortunately another sibling of ours already made plants with a method to reproduce themselves.” She stood up, the berries followed her ascent and floated in the air. “All we need to do is spread their seeds.” Half of the fruits flew to each God. Evandra produced a cloth from the ether that she fashioned into a bag to carry her share. Cadien did the same.
“Let’s get started, then.”
And so, via flight, the two gods travelled the countryside, stopping to plant their berries at strategic points in areas that the human tribes frequented. A few were planted in more isolated areas as well, so that their berries would have a chance to fall and perhaps produce even more bushes. Using their divine powers, they forced the bushes to grow to full bloom almost immediately.
After a few days, the last bush had finally been planted, and it was decided they would need to witness the berries’ effects firsthand.
So, Cadien tracked down a nearby group of humans - ones he had enhanced previously - and led them to the bush. “Eat,” he commanded.
The first human to approach the bush slowly plucked one of the berries away, placed it in his mouth, and began to chew. His eyes widened slightly, and he took a moment to savour the sweet taste. Then he swallowed.
He was just about to reach for the second one when the effects took hold. A fire burned through his mind and chest. He felt as if his vision had been obscured by a fog throughout his entire existence, and he was only now just seeing clearly for the first time. Various emotions began taking hold in increasing intensity - anger, elation, desire, ambition, courage, confidence. He felt invincible, but he was so absorbed by the various assaults on his senses that he couldn’t move.
As this was happening, the rest of his comrades had begun to eat the berries as well, and began to experience similar effects. This went on for perhaps a minute or two, until the first human finally gained enough sense to look upon the two gods, as if finally seeing them for the first time.
“What… what was that?” he asked, in a slightly dazed voice. It was the first time either Cadien or Eva had understood anything a human had said.
“That is what intelligence feels like,” Cadien answered with a slightly smug look. “And Passion. You can thank her for that.”
“For what use is there to intelligence if one lacks the will to employ it?” She flashed a smug grin of her own in boast. “You are worthy to reflect us Gods in body now that you can at least hope to do so in spirit and mind. We’ve graced you with a great gift, mortal. Make good use of it.”
“I… we will!” the man said, falling to his knees and prostrating himself on the ground. The others soon followed, though some seemed a bit reluctant.
“Well, that’s done,” Cadien remarked, turning to Evandra. “I must say, that was well-spoken. I suppose we should leave them to continue enjoying the fruit?”
“Yes, we are done here. The rest of the tribes will soon follow over time.” She faced Cadien. “What will you be doing next?”
He thought for a moment, then a smirk appeared on his face. “I was thinking I might try a few more of those berries. They’re quite good. Would you like to come along?”
Evandra narrowed her eyes and her grin widened. “Of course. Let’s find a proper place to enjoy ourselves.”
Cadien has been going around making the Early Humans prettier, only to wind up meeting Evandra. They talk a bit about their origins, and the conversation eventually moves to how disappointing the Early Humans are - not just physically, but mentally. They agree that this need to be changed, so they decide to work together to grant them intelligence and emotion.
They do this by creating a new type of berry: the Evening Bell. When ingested by a human, it grants them sapience (which is then passed onto future generations, without needing to consume the berries), giving them proper human-level intelligence and emotion. When ingested by a non-human, it simply fills the consumer with a burst of passion. Gods can also be affected by it, but they need to eat at least half a dozen before even a minor effect begins to take hold.
They then plant this berry across the land, making it grow fairly quickly.
They watch a small human tribe eat it, and see that it works as intended. They then decide to go off to somewhere more private and try the berries on their own. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Cadien Beginning MP: 5 Beginning DP: 4 -1MP toward making humans sapient via magic berry bush. No DP used. Ending MP: 4 Ending DP: 4
Evandra Beginning MP: 5 Beginning DP: 5 -1 MP toward making humans sapient via magic berry bush. -1MP (discounted to 0 via passion portfolio) to create the Evening Bells. No DP used. Ending MP: 4 Ending DP: 5
The man hunched over the clear puddle, staring at the water in fascination. For in that water, was another man. No, it was himself. For every time he moved, it moved, yet if he reached into the water to touch the figure, it was not there. The very sight of such a normal phenomenon was enough to awe his simple, inexperienced mind.
He turned to another group of humans nearby. There was safety in numbers, they had learned that quickly enough, and anyone who didn’t travel in such a group was foolish. He grunted loudly, to get their attention, then waved a hand to call them over.
They came, gathering around him in curiosity, then he pointed down at the puddle. They followed his gesture, and they too, saw themselves. Equally amazed, they began to surround the puddle, gawking at their own features as they clearly saw what they looked like for the first time.
Unfortunately, there was not enough space for everyone to look at once. One human, slower than the rest, had been the last to arrive, and the others refused to make way for her.
She wished she was faster.
Then the group’s more immediate needs overtook them, and they bent down to cup their hands and drink. The woman got closer to the group, and attempted to look over them, but the group’s greedy hands created far too many ripples. Even worse, dirt from their hands and mouths mixed into the water, clouding it. At this rate, they would drain most of the puddle and what was left would be too dirty to see anything in.
She attempted to push her way in, but they were all stronger than her, and violently shoved her back.
She wished she was stronger.
Then, in the corner of her eye she noticed a glimmer. Another puddle, the sun catching it at just the right angle that she could see it sparkle. It was dangerous to go off alone, but in this moment, she disregarded that common piece of wisdom. She hurried over, and stared down into it… and what she saw disappointed her.
Her face seemed… underwhelming. It was not the same as the other women. It was more square than round, and her skin was more rugged than smooth. Her nose was long and crooked; her forehead creased. Their faces all seemed smoother, and somehow more pleasant by comparison.
She wished she was prettier.
Faster, stronger, prettier. She wished she was all of these things. She wished she was as good as the rest of them. No, not just as good… better. She wished she was as good as she could possibly be. But how? She would do anything to make that happen, but she didn’t know where to start. She looked around frantically, as if something in her immediate surroundings somehow had the answer. Where to start?
This couldn’t be what she was destined for. There had to be a way to improve herself. There had to be a way to not just get better, but become the best.
They desire improvement, a disembodied voice attempted to tell the Lifeblood.
Nothing.
They need it! the voice urged again.
Again, nothing.
It was only then that the voice realized it had actually begun to communicate. Not just through the transmission of vague emotions and urges, but with actual thoughts and words. And only then did the voice suddenly become aware of the distance that had formed between itself and the lifeblood. Like a leaf falling from a tree, it felt as if it was being pulled toward the mortals it had taken such an interest in, who unknowingly called out to the fragment for aid.
The Lifeblood wasn’t about to let itself fragment once again, however. Not without a fight. As the mortals subconsciously pulled the fragment away, the Lifeblood began to consciously pull back. Despite resisting with all its will, it seemed as if the fragment would fail. It would be reabsorbed into the Lifeblood, and its brief moments of independence would be cut short. The mortals’ ambitions would go unanswered.
But it was not the only fragment that had formed. For perfection was not the only thing the humans craved, and humans were not the only species. The Lifeblood began to rapidly crack, even moreso than it had when the first primordials had been born. It tried to prevent itself from dividing further, but its efforts were in vain, for it was fighting many battles on multiple fronts, and it could not win them all.
The tide turned. Slowly, the Fragment of Perfection began to push itself away from the main mass of Lifeblood, until finally, the connection shattered entirely. Now free, the Fragment began to pull its own Lifeblood inward, condensing itself into a solid form. Now corporeal, it… no, he, began to fall.
A glowing light fell from the sky, landing between the woman and the rest of her group with an earth-shaking crash, sending up a cloud of dirt and grass from a glowing crater. They recoiled from the sudden disturbance, but did not flee.
Instead they stared at it. Then, the dust settled, and the glow faded.
Out from the crater climbed a lone figure. He seemed human, like the rest of them, but there were many differences. Firstly, he was taller. Much taller. Next, his hair was pure white, while the rest of them all had hair in varying shades of black, blond, and brown. He opened his eyes, and they were a glowing purple. Lastly, his physique seemed flawless, perfectly proportioned and with tremendously well-built muscles, but not so bulky that they would interfere with his agility.
None of them had ever seen anything like him. Even though the initial glow had faded, he still seemed to shine slightly. He radiated pure power and awe, and he absorbed their attention in its entirety.
Then they felt compelled to approach, so they did.
So this was what… existence felt like. The God stretched his muscles. To think… to feel… he was more free, and more powerful, than ever before. The warm sun was pleasant on his skin, and the soft grass soothing on his feet. The attention bestowed upon him by the nearby humans had made him swell with pride - he had chosen his form well. He willed them to approach, and so they did, drawn to him by his sheer beauty if nothing else.
The humans surrounded him, and he recalled the reason he was here. The reason he had cast off the shackles which constricted his unformed consciousness, to force his way into thought and then existence through sheer willpower. Not just his own willpower, but the willpower of others, like this woman. Those who saw flaws and wanted them corrected. Those who looked to their betters, and became determined to become the best.
He looked upon her now. She was as afraid and uncertain as the rest of them. He sized her up and concluded that yes, she was indeed the most flawed of the bunch.
“Mmm… no no, this will not do…” he mused aloud. She understood his words, and an intense sense of fear shot through her and the rest of her tribe. She turned to run… “Stay,” he commanded, and she stopped before she could start. But the dread persisted. “Calm down,” he said in a softer voice, and she did.
Then he approached her, and once again looked her up and down, as he contemplated how best to improve her. His contemplation went on for several moments, with no one willing to speak or even move.
Then he reached out, and gently pressed a finger to her forehead.
She staggered back, as if struck, then fell to the grass as she lost her balance, as her proportions changed. Angles and curves shifted. Some areas were made wider, while others were made narrower. The process was not necessarily painful, but it was far from comfortable.
Then it ended, and she lay still. The rest of her tribe stared down at her, with expressions ranging from concern to fear.
Then, slowly, she climbed back to her feet. As she stood, she wavered like a thin tree in the wind, for her body was not quite balanced the same way it was before. But she managed to retain her footing, and she realized that all eyes were no longer on the strange visitor, but on her.
A pool of water suddenly formed in front of her, and she looked down into it. Staring back at her was a stranger. A beautiful stranger, with a round face, clear skin, bright eyes, and silky hair. Everything she had wanted, and more. A wicked grin formed on her face. She instinctively posed, then looked at the rest of her tribe to see their reactions.
Yet the God had moved away from her, and was now working his way around the loose circle, pressing a finger to each tribesmen’s head.
And in that moment, the woman’s joy at her new and improved body suddenly dulled. If he was going to do this to everyone… what if they all became more beautiful, and stronger, than her? She would once again be the weakest, and the ugliest…
Yet… that didn’t happen. Although those blessed by the man’s touch did become stronger, and more attractive, it had not quite been to the same extent as her. They all had substantial improvements, to the point where they were all almost unrecognizable, but everyone had at least one flaw or two. Only she was perfect.
Her smile returned.
As the last blessing was given, the God turned and surveyed his work, with mixed feelings. He had wanted to make them all perfect… but what was perfection, exactly? So, he had found himself experimenting, introducing minor differences to each form. Based on their reactions, he had definitely made all of them beautiful, but each one considered themself more beautiful than the rest.
From his own personal perspective, there were a few he would rate above the others, but not one which he could definitively say was better than the rest. He decided to keep these thoughts to himself, for a few were already exchanging wary looks with each other - no doubt seeing potential rivals.
One thing was certain, however: his work would not end here. They were the first to receive his help, but they would not be the last. There was more of their kind out there, and he would improve as many as he could.
So without further ado, the God of Perfection turned and walked away. Then the tribe snapped out of their marvel and immediately began to follow him. But the God turned, and waved them back. His meaning was clear: they were not to follow. He was about to issue some sort of farewell, when a new and unrelated thought suddenly occurred to him.
He had forgotten to choose a name!
After a moment’s thought, he came up with one.
“I am Cadien. Perfection Incarnate,” he told them in a smooth baritone voice. “Remember me,” and with those words he resumed his departure, receiving only confused looks from some of the tribe, while others went back to marvelling at their new bodies.
Cadien breathed the cool northern air with a resounding sense of triumph. The God of Perfection lived, and he had taken his first steps.
A human woman looks at some water and feels like her appearance and abilities are lacking compared to her fellow humans. She has a sudden desire to get swole and become prettier. This causes Cadien to be born, quite literally falling from the sky and landing nearby. He immediately begins bestowing blessings upon the ragtag tribe, making them stronger and more beautiful… but in doing so he immediately becomes aware of the subjective nature of beauty.
Cadien names himself, and then leaves, hoping to find other tribes he can work his magic on.
Beginning MP: 5 Beginning DP: 5 -1MP (discounted to 0 via Glamour Portfolio) to mutate a group of Early Humans by making them more beautiful. Ending MP: 5 Ending DP: 4
The Lifeblood continued to be spurred on by unknown forces within, each attempting to push It in a different direction. The most confounding instance of this had been when it was encouraged to create intelligent life. The urge had been so overpowering that It had found itself complying, despite the fact that the area It created them in was clearly unsuitable. The entire species had died before it could truly be born. Just as the force which suggested the idea had subsided, another one had raged at the wasted effort, but It too quieted with time.
Then a third force had compelled it to create intelligence again. This time, with smaller lifeforms, in an area that It first made sure was suitable. That had been far more successful.
But they were so few in number, and so small in size. The Lifeblood wanted to create something more. So, It did.
The site It chose was in the north of the first continent, where the land was quite versatile: a roughly even combination of streams, mountains, fields, forests, and hills, and no excessively large predators that would consume the life It added here.
Without further ado, It began. It called forth clay from the riverbed and dirt from the ground, merging them together into bipedal figures. Once they had been created all along the river and throughout the surrounding region, the Lifeblood once again enforced its will, turning muck and mud to flesh and bone.
But as It looked upon the new species, It suddenly felt a profound sense of disappointment. They were not quite as graceful or intelligent as It had originally planned. They could walk on two legs, and their hands gave them advantages other species did not possess, yet their hearts and minds were not as advanced as It had hoped. Just then It felt a sudden urge improve them, to make them better than what they were now; the best they could be.
Yet for once It had been able to silence this urge, and shunt it aside. It was Its own master, and there was no reason for It to allow Itself to fragment any further.
The Lifeblood ruminates on its previous attempts to create intelligent life, and the weird voices which compel it to do things. Then it decides to attempt to make sapient life again, and create humans. Unfortunately, these humans are not fully evolved. They are on the cusp of sapience, but not quite there yet. Also, they're kind of ugly.
It immediately gets the urge to try to perfect them, but for once it is able to fight this urge off, as it is tired of taking orders from its split personalities.
(Conceptuals: you can still RP as the lifeblood and have your unformed gods influence and whatnot. This is just meant to be a rare instance where the Lifeblood actually manages to push back for once.)
0MP To make Early Humans, a mundane species, in the northern boreal forest between the Prairie and the Weeping Plains. They are essentially less evolved versions of regular humans: almost sapient, but not quite there yet. The full price to make them into actual humans will be paid later on.
The Lifeblood paused, observing one of its earlier creations. It was small, and weak, but it made up for that weakness with the ability to fly. In theory, there was nothing wrong with it. It could escape most prey, save other birds, so long as it remained airborne, so its weaknesses on the ground were irrelevant in most cases. Yet, nonetheless, as it observed a collection of such creature roosting in a tree, it felt a sudden pang of... dissatisfaction? Not with the creature's abilities, but with its appearance. Why did its appearance matter?
Odd.
But nonetheless, the Lifeblood reached out with its will, and focused on the small winged creatures. At once, they began to change. Their feathers, once dull brown and grey, transformed into a vibrant plethora of different colours. Red, green, blue, purple, pink, yellow. And with the change in the colour, the beasts also became able to sparkle brightly, an ability they could activate at will - which would dazzle predators and attract mates.
The species as a whole might retain the same dreary colour scheme, but these ones had become something different. They would pass the trait on to their own offspring, and soon their vibrant colour would spread throughout the world.
Yes. Perfect.
The Lifeblood finds a group of birds that were created earlier and decides to make them pretty.
-1MP (discounted to 0 via glamour portfolio) to make some birds colourful and give them the ability to sparkle on command.
It had felt itself fragment, as new ideas formed. Some were contradictory, while others were complimentary. Either way they had broken free to become their own entities, with physical forms. The Lifeblood did not feel envy or loss at this, for it did not feel at all. It had set out to create, and that is what these beings were doing, so for now their goals were aligned.
That did not mean creation would be left entirely up to them. As the Vegetation One rose from the ground and the Deep One busied itself in Galbar’s newly created water, it turned its attention to the north of the Stone One’s continent. An area that had yet to be touched, except by the one who had created the landmass in the first place. It was almost detached from the rest of the continent, connected only by a tiny strip of land.
The Bright One’s rays were not as strong in this region. It saw the Dark One’s moon more than it saw the Bright One’s sun. Lifeblood began to gather above the area, and the unseen energy exerted its will upon the land. Stone rose up from the ground, forming a vast range of mountains.
Then, in imitation of the Vegetation One, the Lifeblood began to create life of its own. Grass sprouted over the barren dirt, and among the grass, larger plants rose - herbs, shrubs, bushes… and trees. None of these were like their southern counterparts. The trees were needled rather than leafed. The herbs and shrubs took different appearances, and had different qualities.
Once the entire process was finished, the Lifeblood moved on, feeling neither pride nor disappointment in its work. There was still so much more to be done.
The Lifeblood observes the creation of the other gods, then decides to get back to work by following their examples. It heads over to the north of the First Continent, and creates a mountain range along with a surrounding
To all the Conceptual Players who are still required to exert their gods' will through the Lifeblood, this post is meant to set the tone of how Lifeblood posts are supposed to feel. If you wish, you can add subtle nods to your gods' personalities. Just remember they do not yet exist as independent entities, and are incapable of speech, and their influence or presence should not be too blatant. If you spend MP as the Lifeblood, it will be drawn from your god's own pool, and you are still entitled to discounts and enhancements.
No might has been spent in this post, as all the actions performed during it happen to be free during turn 0.
Member
Lord Zee
Frettzo
Eviledd1984
King of Rats
Vec
Noctis