Blank Slate IC

[GlassEye]

With the advent of madness and winter, Byrrl withdraws into the Green Dream cloaking himself in the trees of his birth. And with a touch of something new the madness passes. From his grove, Byrrl reaches out through the Green Dream to assess how life fared during the madness and winter: his trees and plants seemed immune to madness, yet fared poorly in winter; his animals were likewise resistant to madness, though some, he saw, showed an odd weakness to it; also his animals experienced hardship in winter. Looking throughout the rest of creation, Byrrl sees that humans seemed to fare worst of all and he resolves to take action. Surprisingly, he discovers a race of creatures living beneath his boughs that he had, at first, not sensed and he resolves to seek them out soon.

First, however, he returns to that tree that housed his consciousness and still stands next to the rocky form of Ilem Nth Sabbatur and black-robed Hash'Mileak. Looking about he sees a third god nearby working his power upon a silvery sphere that circles the earth. Examining this god Byrrl sees he seems to be akin to Hash'Mileak.

Sensing the Empyrean is occupied with another(!) being above, Byrrl turns with a frown to the god of war and death, "Hash'Mileak, your humans did not fare well during this new winter. Many starved for lack of food. I can teach them ways to survive but I will not do so without your permission." Turning to Ilem he makes the same offer. "Ilem Nth Sabbatur, your dwarves fared well sheltered within the earth, yet your gnomes, living near the surface, were more vulnerable. I offer the same to you: I will teach your gnomes to better survive, with your permission."

 

[Kaodi]

Did you think to announce yourself to me before spinning fire upon my body? I could have denied your creation of the stars and world, but I had the grace not to be so petty. And yet, when I take this one thing from you, you accuse me of being the transgressor? I, that allowed my perfection to be marred by your creations?

The wyrm is mine, Empyrean. You are right, that I would not have her had you not created her, but you would not have anywhere to create her were I so selfish as you. I have demanded from you a small portion of your creation, and of yourself, just as I give to you a small piece of myself in which to play. Do not think for an instant that the presence of stars and light to me is not the same as the dragon devouring one of your avatars. I am dimished by your actions, and now you are diminished by mine.

Do you not see that your light again falls upon the face of the world, through my action? I could do the same to all that you have created, but I do not. I do not wish you to beg and grovel for the continued existence of your playground, and I will not apologize for claiming a piece of it for my own. You do not appreciate what can be done with space and place, you do not conceive of it. You do have a choice, though. In time, you will be thankful for what I can do. But do not try to take from me what I have claimed as my own, or I swear you will suffer, and you will never be able to realize the full potential of what you can do.

If the death of your stars bothers you, then create a hundred more, and I will place them among the others you have already made. Your power and substance, like mine, is of infinite nature. Malchygara could devour every star you have made, and yet you could make as many to the hundredth power, and more. As you gave her life, she yet requires a part of you to sustain her strength. To the little creatures of the world, it seems a great part, but to us its amount is ultimately only a tiny amount. Your fire will keep her strong for a very long time, but it is I that gave her the power to thrive in the dark places, in stretches of nothing so vast that no other creature could even live long enough or move quickly enough to traverse. I need her, and if I do not have her, I will be... distraught.

 

[Ambrus]

Enraged by the Void's continued denials, threats and insults, the Empyrean's corona flares dangerously through the heavens. Upon the fledgling earth, the snows of winter quickly melt away as the planet is in turn beset by a scorching hot summer. The celestial nexus, seeing that its divine fire once more threatens the fledgling little world, endeavours to reign in its wrathful fury. As its fires are tempered, the light of wisdom blossoms across the god's countenance.

"You are correct, I acted to grace the heavens with stars without asking your leave, for at the instant of creation I knew not of anything that might object to the light. For this I apologize unto you. You are correct that without you I would have no space in which to place my creations. You will however perceive that I did not seek to entirely fill the void with my works, for unconsciously I recognized the need for a contrasting darkness to make the stars shine all the brighter. I also submit to you that you yourself value the celestial spheres for without them the universe would lack demarcations by which you would remain undefined. At the very least it is clear by your desire to possess this wyrm that you value at least some aspects of creation if not all of them.

We have both acted individually and our actions have generated scorn within each other. Threatening and insulting each other remains a dangerous and ultimately futile activity to pursue. You are correct that I could fill the heavens with stars just as quickly as you could condemn them to oblivion. Only those things we cherish would suffer in such a cosmic conflict. Neither of us is willing to relinquish our claim to this wyrm for we have both invested within it our own essences and hopes. You offer me space in which to place a hundred stars as reparation, but I would propose my own concession. Join me in union and together we will define what is and what is not. I vow unto you to not create anything further without your leave if you vow to not destroy anything without my leave. The wyrm we both cherish will be the greatest product of our union and will serve us jointly as harbinger and herald. It will be the great World Serpent Malchygara.

What say you?"

 

[WarlockLord]

The lich-god looks at the war god with disdain and anger.
SO! YOU PRESUME TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO WITH MY CREATURES? AS MASTER OF DEATH, AM I NOT ALLOWED TO PROPOGATE IT? YOU PRESUME TO THREATEN ME? DO YOU WISH TO FEEL DEATH TO TAKE YOUR SOUL, OR ENTROPY? BY WHAT RIGHT DO YOU THREATEN ME, FOOL?!!!"

 

[GrandArchon]

(SNIP)

 

[Gli'jar]

The child of the void knew solitude. They dream away the pain waiting for the sun to rise again, for life to begin anew. As the creatures lie in their fitfull sleeps, the dreamer reached out. "I understand your pain. Dream, I open the door to you. Create your own reality, shape it as you wish. I grant you this boon. Whenever you need it embrace, close your eyes and sleep.." And so it was that as the creatures slept, the world of the dream opened up to them, opening up the realm of possibility.

 

[WarlockLord]

"Hash'Mileak, your humans did not fare well during this new winter. Many starved for lack of food. I can teach them ways to survive but I will not do so without your permission." ]

'You have my permission, and I thank you."

 

[GlassEye]

'You have my permission, and I thank you."

Byrrl inclines his head at Hash'Mileak's response. "Thank you, brother. Send three of your humans to my grove and I will instruct them in the secret knowledge of plants: sowing, cultivation, reaping, and the storage of grains for their use when winter returns and they, in turn, will be able to instruct the rest of your people. In addition, I will gift to them certain animals for their use."

Turning to Ilem, Byrrl continues, "Likewise, brother, send three of your gnomes to my grove and I will give them the same knowledge and gifts."

 

[WarlockLord]

And a warrior, a sorceror, and a priest of Hash'Mileak went to Byrrl's grove.
Hash'Mileak also sent 10 other humans. "My gift to you. These ten will revere nature, and care for the animals, and plants, and clean up any messes of their fellows.

OOC: The first druids.

 

[GrandArchon]

OOC: I'm going to be gone from tomorrow, till next Friday. I may or may not have access to a computer with internet connection.