Lords of Creation (Story Thread 2)

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

Vandals didn't close their eyes. They couldn't, they had no eyelids. So when Two Gods Sitting woke up in the healing room, being presided over by the spirits and amazingly whole it was more a case of the entire world coming slowly into focus. She saw a man in the corner.

"I could have won," she said. "It would have been boring, though, don't you think?I wish the game could have gone longer though."

The Watchman regarded the insect. Something had been awakened inside of her, some strange bravado. As she got up and spread her wings, he could see she had a satisfied air about her.

Gods looked around the room. "Where is Sisters?"

"Gone, after she saw that you were whole. She said that if you wanted to find her, she would be exploring the stalls."

"Oh, good for her." was the reply, from somewhere over the moon.

In actuality, Sisters couldn't stand to watch anymore. He had sent her away with an escort because she hated the arena. The match had awakened something very different in Sisters, and he wondered if it was cruel of him to be glad it had.

Gods got up and walked out of the room. "I'm going to watch the next match."

He followed her.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

"How cute." Khadai chuckled to her nieces, "The reptilian calls her an oathbreaker.  He thinks to scold her for being dishonorable!"

The sin goddess and her handmaidens shared a chuckle.

[Zaleramancer]

"She probably did. Not intentionally, of course, but it worked." A young boy was sitting on a nearby tree branch, which was swaying slightly in the wind. Below him, another identical boy leaned against the tree.

"We were delayed pickin' up Gant." He said in a lazy voice.

"She didn't want to get off her fat as-" Gleefully began the one sitting in the tree, only to be cut off by another voice.

"Continue that sentence at your own peril, boy. " Madame Gant waded into the clearing, looking exhausted. "Chair."

One of the boys rolled his eyes and gestured, a plain looking chair appeared near the heavy-set Gant. She collapsed into it, ignoring the poor wood's creaking protest.

"I think everyone's here." The mellow boy announced decidedly. "Now, Sonia?"

The pale goddess turned, eyes still burning slightly. "Who ar-"

His voice changed as he spoke, taking on a strange aspect of great age.

Sleep, young one.

She slumped to the ground, and Itself flowed forward to grab her as she fell. The creature returned to it's perch, carrying the now sleeping goddess.

"Now, we can take up where Sonia left off." The boy in the tree began.

"Gant has told us the probably answer, but we don't-" The one leaning continued.

"-trust her any farther than we could throw her-"

Madame glared at the gleeful boy, and the more serious brother continued without a pause.

"So, could you name the gods for us? We need to find a particular one, for a rather specific reason."

[Zaleramancer]

Drav cautiously circled his foe. The Goliath hero had the advantages of height and strength, no doubt, but Drav was a dwarf.

They were used to fighting giants.

He smiled as he advanced, Axe and shield ready.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

"Oh, that's easy, there's Uburra-Namall, Jassi and Jissei!" Fandas blurted cheerfully, before Draias clapped his hand over the magician's mouth. There was no knowing the intentions of these new folks.

But where Fandas left off, Khadai continued, menacing the mortal who had no idea of her status as a goddess, "And I am Khadai; these are my handmaidens, Vai, Prasim, Eda, Desra, Nasta, Slomna and Indiva." She turned at last back to those who first asked the question, "You have business with our ranks?"

[Philote]

Lo-Kag charged towards his opponent, the tip of his metal club carving a path through the ground as he ran as he readied to swing it upwards with his Mountain Sweep technique.

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Balasar and his gang struggle against the presence of the Spirits around them. They would not wait peacefully while intruders waited in their lair.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

 "What's the matter?" Khadai smiled insidiously to Balasar, "You seem perturbed. Is our presence...bothering you?"

[Philote]

Balasar did not entertain Khadai with a response, they both knew that Balasar's gang's actions were a result of the Spirits exerting their power on them.

[Zaleramancer]

"Nope. They feel to.. young. " Gant said from her chair, watching the struggling Dragonborn. "Must be some first-world local nobodies. We need to find someone who's at least not wet around the ears."

"Fat woman still rude, Itself sees." Hissed the creature from across the clearing.

"What was that, Babbling Idiot? I'm afraid I don't speak Lunatic."

"Itself could feast on you. Much to feast on."

Silence. Why must you act like children? Once we deal with the current issues, you may mindlessly attack each other as you please. For now, however, you will act your age for once.

Once again, the ancient voice rang out from the twins.

"Now, surely you are not the only gods? Is there no one else? Old, Eccentric, Thinks themselves Clever?" The two boys seemed slightly distressed.

[Zaleramancer]

Drav dodged to the side, moving with a practiced air in his heavy armor. His axe chopped towards Lo-Kag's hands.

[Philote]

Lo-Kag blocked with the armor around one of his arms, leaving his other hand to maintain his grip on his weapon. The axe warped the metal of Lo-Kag's armor as it impacted and he began to lose feeling in his hands. The pain would appear as the battle wore on, but for now, Lo-Kag was pleased that his skin had been blessed to be like stone.

Having trained for so long in the Plane of Heroes, Lo-Kag was not one to give up on the offensive. His large, stony foot rose up to kick at the dwarf, like another hammer for Lo-Kag to use in battle, as he moved his club into position to swing again.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

 "Ah..." The feeling of familiarity reverberated between Khadai and her goddess handmaidens, "That rings a bell. But not here; our goddess is not one to give away her age. She thinks herself clever, but speaks little of her seniority. The one you seem to be after is the goddess Zaya."

The Seven Sin Sisters giggled to themselves, offering simultaneously, "We could show you the way to find her."

The air between the Elves and the Dragonborn remained, but the Elves were still, and the Boquabians didn't budge. They wanted to see what the deities in their presence would do first.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"Sir, a word." Whispered an old voice in the Watchman ear. He didn't even have to turn and look at the watcher, he knew which one it was.

"Yes, Crone?"

The Crone, eldest of the watchers. No older than any of them in years, but in spirit ancient. He had intrusted her with the actions of the watchers around the world. They looked up to her, and obeyed her out of a healthy mixture of respect and fear. It was something about the way she spoke, advising and scolding as only an old woman possibly can.

"I am here with the latest reports. There appears to be some sort of developing situation in the lands of the goddess Uburra-Namall."

"What sort of situation."

"It appears to have started with the appearance of a band of dragonborn bandits sailing to her land."

He sat up at once. "Did Gilgamesh send them?" he asked, quite seriously.

"No, sir."

"Did Gilgamesh inspire them?"

"No, sir. We do not believe that Gilgamesh is involved at this time, though they may have received help from one of his other gods."

"Who?"

"Yojimbo."

The Watchman gave a curt grunt. The one that went to Hazet. That one was a troublemaker. Nevertheless...

"Uburra-Namall is presently on her island, Crone. I have little doubt that her pantheon can handle this problem. Besides, you know I don't like to involve myself directly with mortal affairs, unless said affairs are inspired by the Divine."

"That is not all, sir. There appear to be a few strange entities on the island as well, at this time."

The Watchman was sure she had already thought of this, but a desperate hope carried the words from him. "Well, she is the goddess of creativity. I'm sure-"

"Also, sir, The Chairs have been expanding."

This was worrying. He sighed deeply, and spoke wearily. "Let me guess, there are more chairs then gods on record. So, unless someone is creating somewhere where the Watchers can't see..."

"All gods known to be capable of doing so are under constant vigil."

He groaned and put his head in his hands. Interlopers. Just what they needed; more bloody gods around hear.

"Go and fetch The Veteran. Have him take a contingent of Watchdogs to the island of Uburra-Namall to seek out any god that smells of the void between worlds. I want them invited to this city as guests. I'd go myself but...I swore a vow."

The Crone looked down at the current match. "What does it really matter lord, if one of them dies?"

"I will not allow bloodsport in my- in THE city." He ends quickly. "Go, do as I tell you."

The Crone nods, and flies off into the desert.

[Philote]

Motes Left: 7

Three Divine Servitors, the Spirits of Heroes, presented themselves inside Gilgamesh's chamber. These three would be the first to be transformed for Gilgamesh's new project. One by one they came to Gilgamesh's side as he watched the match and he placed an armored hand over their head. Energy spread though the golden ghosts as they became substantial at Gilgamesh's touch. When the process was done, three silver caskets had replaced the Divine Servitors. When the energy necessary to complete his project had been gained, the caskets would open and the Divine Servitors would walk out as something new (-36 motes, Create Divine Artifact x 3).

Next, Gilgamesh turned a portion of his attention to a mortal who entered his booth, though he kept his main focus on the fight. The mortal was a human male, chosen to be a member of both of the organizations Gilgamesh wished to create. The Council of heroes, an organization led by Gilgamesh's heroes and made up of the strongest members of each race, and the Colleges of Magic. Both organizations would serve to spread and develop power in Gilgamesh's lands. The mortal's eyes took on an unnatural blue glow and he became covered in pure white robes to signify his importance to the organizations. The mortal would leave for Gilgamesh's lands to begin gathering members for both organizations (-6 motes, Create Order x 2).

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"He want's me to what?" Said the Veteran, his army of bugs behind him. They had been doing good work all day, and they were presently resting by one of the rivers. "Look," he said to the Crone, "They're in a delicate stage of 'velopment. Anything they see or hear could inspire them. Can't he have someone else do this?"

"There is no one else, especially when dealing with other gods. This is to be done Presently."

He could end her with a though, he was about as far above her as he could possibly be. The difference in power now was enormous between them. But none of that mattered: all that mattered was the tone. No Watcher would ever ignore an order given in that tone of voice. He saluted, put his fingers in his mouth, and gave two sharp whistles.

4 gray shapes came bounding over the horizon, and stopped before him. 4 Watchdogs; More than enough to find anything in the world except, of course, whatever was out in the desert. He had had them searching for hours, and nothing had turned up. He pointed to random groups of Vandals.

"You 4, you 4, you 4, and you 4. With me. The rest of you, head into the city to get some grub and look around. I'll be back shortly. DISMISSED!"

The Vandals Took wing and headed for the city, except for the chosen 16. He looked them over.

"Alright Ladies, listen up. We're going across the world to deliver a message, so water up! Now, we are messengers. But, if anyone tries to impede us in the delivery of our message, such as some hooligans who are mussing what what I've heard is a lovely island, well, we'd have to hall them off to the pokey Tut Suit."

"That's not what he is sending you for." Said the Crone.

"Then he shouldn't have sent a Protector god. You ready Ladies? Then Let's Ride!"

There is a great upkick of dust as the Vandals lift off and they, The Veteran, and the Watchdogs speed off to the Island of Uburra-Namall. The Crone looks at them, shakes her head, and moves back inside Spectropolis. Sometimes she wondered if her boss was a naive idiot or a manipulative bastard.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

 "Oh, dear", Uburra-Namall blinked as she looked through her Telescope; she watched an orangey-pink cloud waft just below the peak of her mountain home, and then turned back to the Telescope, "More visitors? This is getting to be a bit tedious. I hope they're friendly."

She tipped the Telescope down and curled up on her couch, frowning a bit. She could understand folks being attracted to her, but this was getting ridiculous!

[Tsubasa & Wen Tien]

(33 motes previously +9 motes, Total: 42 motes)

Brynhildr lies in the tree she'd been knocked into by Itself. She'd tried getting up a dozen times but each time had had to fall back gasping for breath as her chest flared with pain. She would get out of the tree though as soon as she could. It definitely wasn't safe for anyone much less an injured being to be stuck in a tree.

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Kyuuketsu wanders around Spectropolis and notices several insectoid beings wandering around. She'd never seen them before, so what where they... Wait a second, now that she thought about it, the Watchman had had three beings like these ones near him during Kagehana's match, maybe she should find him and ask him what they were. Yes, that's what she'd do.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

"I don't know what you expect to find in this part of the woods, Kaita." A black-haired centaur walked through the woods, chuckling alongside his lovely female companion, "I'm pretty sure you were just hearing things."

"No, I really saw a goddess! I know I did!" Kaita frowned, crossing her arms, nervous; if she was wrong this time, surely Fidion would never believe her again, "I can't have been hearing things."

"Then maybe seeing things?" Fidion chuckled.

Crunch. The two stopped dead in their tracks. Crunch, Scrunch, Crunch Crunch.

"Did you--?"

"Shh!" Fidion put up a hand, and replied with a whisper of growing belief...and nervousness, "It's over there."

The two stalked slowly as they could, with such crunchy leaves on the ground. Slowly, slowly--neither was inclined to expel a breath--when at last their search ended as quick as it had began.

Who was this all tangled up in a tree?

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

It's not a very long flight at all. From Spectropolis, their destination was due directly Southwest. They go over the mission on the flight over. When they arrive, they will rendezvous with Watcher operatives in the field and gather an Intel they have. At that point, the Veteran would introduce himself to the ruler of the island and gain permission for his troops to land on foreign soil. After obtaining permission to land his troops, they would proceed to the problem area, deliver the Watchman's message. Along the way, they would render aid to the locals as necessary.

The meetup with the two watchers goes smoothly, high over the coast. A few oddities are mentioned; The creature, the woman in white, the demon. The Vandals stay in formation, holding the dogs so that they don't have to bound around in the water. Finally, the watchers indicate the highest mountain on the isle, on which sits a large telescope and the home of the islands ruler. He salutes the two watchers, and heads for the mountain.

He allows himself to flout high above the mountain and drift down slowly, hands behind his back. When he touches the ground and catches sight of the beautiful goddess he quickly salutes. Interestingly, the stubble that had layered his jaw seemed to have vanished as his hand went past, leaving him clean shaven.

"The Veteran, Ma'am. Major God under the Watchman, acting messenger to and/or inspector of unusual elements on this island respectfully requesting clearance for my entourage to land, Ma'am!"

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Coyly, the love goddess raised a curious eyebrow, "And if permission is granted?"