PANTHEON: NEW CREATION IC

[Cetacea]

In the beginning was the Void ooc
Nothing existed in the infinite expanse of eternity
Nothing could be perceived for there was nothing to perceive
Nothing could be obtained for there was nothing to obtain
Nothing could be conceived for there was nothing to conceive
without form, without purpose Nothing stirred
and the stirring became a ferment, searching, seeking, expanding and growing
urgent, driven and enflamed, Infinite Potential focused to a singularity, the Nexus Seed of Creation
Infinite in Power, Complete in Divinity, Resplendent in Being the Nexus Seed ruptured,
and power burst out into the expanse of eternity

Dual streams of Concious Being rushed out into the infinite expanse,
seeking union, seeking purpose - form, substance, life
and they were made manifest in Space and Time

Father Sky the eternal vault above and Mother Earth the infinite expanse below

And born between them the gods.Lore

gods now Manifest in the First World, emerging in all their divine glory to set upon the Rainbow Mountain,
which is called the center of all Worlds.
The First World is a World yet to be claimed and shaped and filled and guided according to the divine Purpose and godly desire.

What will the gods do in this new World where the power of creation is still so raw and elemental life surges in the very air and water, soil and fire?

and what of the Nexus Seed of Creation?
Infinite in Power, Complete in Divinity, Resplendent in Being,
ruptured, burst and lost to eternity
But what if it was found again? Who could reforge such a thing and reclaim its Infinite Power?

[Cainesland]

On the rainbow mountain, Avi manifested. The great bird, as Avi would come to be known, had the rainbow mountain dust forming him manifest into a medium egg that soon hatched and grew into large metallic feathers, a beak, and talons. His father, the sky and his mother the earth. He looked at the other deities manifesting at the same time. His siblings.

He could feel the jolt of lightning running through him. The forces of storm and wind, gifts from his parents to command as he chooses. To launch lightning, produce thunder, call rain, and blow winds. From light gusts to gale force, and from drizzle to hurricane or monsoon, these were bestowed on him.

He tried moving around his limbs. Light reflecting off the various surfaces differently depending on the angle. He tried lifting his feet, rotating his neck, and shifting his wings. He moved his neck 270 degrees like Owls would one day be provided the ability to do, continuing to feel around what he could do. He tried opening and closing his beak, playing around with sounds from speach to screech. A pharyngeal jaw moving up into his beak and back into rest.

Avi wiggled the talons on his feet and the claws on his wings. He felt around his head, identifying a horn. He looked behind him, spotting tail feathers which he experimented moving. He haunched on all fours and, summoning a thermal gust, he took off into the sky. Closer to his dad and further from his mother, he soared overhead watching as his siblings were formed underneath him.

[G-Tech Corporation]

The man stretched and yawned, a hill shifting in its sleep. Prismatic limbs moved, one of the immense formations of the Rainbow Mountain breathing and cracking, stone fracturing underfoot. His eyes opened, obsidian black irises momentarily lost in a sea of the inky darkness under hills and caves before the brilliant white of marble and alabaster stone suffused them, sapphires and lapis lazuli conquering the gloomy midnight.

He sat up, and the earth reverberated like a drum, the place of his repose torn from the structure of the Rainbow Mountain itself. Firstborn son of Mother Gaia, Maerios, gazed about himself, mind for the primordial second no longer dreaming and instead filled with the music of creation. The world was featureless, void, a tableau upon which those of will would impose their vision. And others were also awakening; his eyes focused on the small figures here and there, and the giant of carnelian, emerald, granite, and sandstone perceived them. He breathed in, and his form shrank, colors refining, melting, reshaping. Waves of heat came from his body as the Forge-Father shrank, the fire of hearth and home submerged in the magmatic fury of the heart of the earth as the power of a divine was compacted into an ever smaller vessel.

Featureless shapes of rainbow-hued stone became crimson, and then ruddy, and a bare scalp of prismatic stone sprouted thick shaggy red hair. His limbs lost their crude, rough appearance, cleavage surfaces and marbled veins of stone growing bronze-hard, then firm and tan. The sands of his emergence, the hanging dust of the piece of the mountain that had torn itself free, coalesced as a swirling cloak, a shimmering sunset which solidified into a serviceable padded tunic which seemed like nothing so much as a cloth of woven sunlight, but threw off a different shade of precious gems with every step.

The World-Shaper pondered those breathing in new life around him. He stooped, hand passing into the everstone of the Rainbow Mountains as if it were water, and a handful he drew up in his broad palm. As he raised it up to his eyes the stone sloughed away from it like the shed skin of a snake, revealing burnished metal the color of trammeled starlight, and a deep black handle which reflected no radiance, the graven bones of the mountains themselves. He raised the hammer, and as he did so it grew, a great instrument of war, or perhaps creation.

The hammer came down, and the Mountain creaked underfoot. The ringing blow resounded throughout Creation, and atop the Rainbow Mountain a great flat shape formed, a perfect circle as flat as flat can be, no longer stone rough and unhewn, but polished and lustrous. In its smooth glory was reflected every color under the heavens, and a single throne stood to one side of it, heavy and unprepossessing, stolid granite to appearance. Maerios rose from the position where his hammer, the Note of Creation, had smote the earth, and nodded once to himself.

[Piscina]

The first instant seemed to last for eternity. He had come into being with, from his perspective, no prelude, no preparation, no warning. After all, how could there be any warning? There was no-one to warn, nothing to warn about in the time before He was. His thoughts, His observations, had only begun in the previous instant, after all.

It occurred to him that he did not know what surrounded him. He gathered his thoughts into something coherent, and taking his very first action, consciously wished to know the things that surrounded him.
Knowledge flooded his awareness. He became aware that he was on a mountain. He perceived the way that the light reflected off it to create varied hues of colour, and that enveloping both him and it was an atmosphere of various gases. He looked more closely at the air, and found that it was composed of countless tiny particles. Looking closer still, he found that they were themselves composed of yet smaller particles. Satisfied for the moment with the acuity of his senses, he became aware of something else.

There are Others here. Two are awake, the rest are still sleeping, or yet to be formed. One of them has altered the environment.

Two implications of this occurred to him. Firstly, that this pristine environment was being altered, perhaps permanently. He fixed the rainbow mountain’s current shape into his mind, so that even if that was the case, he would know that it once looked like.

And secondly, that if he and the other were similar, he too might he able to create something. However, he was still unsure, so he hesitated, waiting formlessly above the surface of the mountain.
Without warning, more information entered his mind, in response to his continuing confusion. He became aware of his purpose, his location, his reason for being.

Reassured and relieved, Scriniarii set about creating a physical form for himself. He began with a simple, nondescript sphere, as the hub of his form. Realising that this form should be able to perceive the world as accurately as possible, and communicate with others, he quickly designed a selection of eyes, ears, olfactory sensors, and other more exotic sensory organs. The sphere did not have enough space to mount them all, so Scriniarii formed several long tentacles to mount them on. Inspired by his surroundings, he chose to give his new form an iridescent rainbow sheen. Satisfied with his physical vessel, he moved over to the circle created by Maerios in order to introduce himself.

“Greetings. I am Scriniarii. I believe that my purpose is to ensure the acquisition and preservation of knowledge, though it is possible that I am mistaken. Might I ask your name, and the reason you created this circle?”

[The Grene Knyght]

Mínadúrha - Goddess of Outcasts and Subversiveness

---

One by one by one, the gods took their forms. The first, who seemed to take more after the Sky Father, and the second, more from the Earth Mother. If the third could be said to take elements of both, the fourth seemed of neither. Mínadúrha shaped herself: first as a giant eye, wreathed in pale tentacles, its iris white; then as a man, robed in yellow, his face in shadow; finally she settled on the form of a woman, bent with age and blindfolded, nails pointed and yellow, a mouth snarling open to reveal long, tombstone teeth.

From a peak in the barren mountains, she gazed without eyes at her siblings as the First took flight, as the Second shattered a mountain, as the Third invented something that would become known as speech. She ventured over towards the trio, slouching against a walking staff. She walked from the distant peak, bending physics, time and space to her will so she could appear in an instant without hurrying her pace. Such paradoxes were second nature to the race of gods.

They were doing very nicely, disrupting the wasteland, making things happen, being interesting in a world that lacked anything of interest. For now, at least, she had no designs to thwart them.

"Might I ask your name, and the reason you created this circle?”

"Brother of mine," she addressed the Second, "I am Mínadúrha, and I join my voice with Scriniarii. Who are you, and to what purpose do you act?"

[G-Tech Corporation]

The man with the long oiled red beard looked from the tentacled beast, to the crone, to his hammer, then shrugged expressively.

"It seemed right."

No, that wasn't quite it.

"It is right. It is an ordering of things - all things must have a center, and so I have made a center." An expansive gesture of his black-handled hammer encompassed the tall granite throne which stood not far away, who threw back hues of emerald as the light fell upon it.

"We are the Firstborn. It is in our nature to order things, to order Creation. I shall sit here, and think, and listen, and hear the will of the others."

Another expansive shrug. He didn't really expect them to understand. He didn't understand himself. It was a burning fire within his breast, the urge to create, to reshape, to mold out of nothingness into substance. Beneath his feet he felt the sand and soil and stone calling out to be made new, to be fashioned into something greater. He marveled that the others could resist the siren call.

[Cainesland]

Avi witnessed the creation of the circle from up high. A ring of granite chairs of equal standing. A central fire pit in the middle. From up high he could see the rolling hills of rainbow sand, rock and soil around the rainbow peak.

Turning his attention to his own situation he noticed that flying seemed to be a learning exercise. He needed to balance out his weight, generate thrust, or ride the currents. He had been doing the latter more as it felt more innate. But he thought he should try and do some of the former, rely less on his domain and try out his body.

Avi began trying to flap his great wings up and down, and again up and down. As they moved towards the sky and back towards the earth below in a repeating cycle heavy bursts of air moved with them. Avi started to lose height. <This will take some practice> he thought to himself.

Avi was in one place, and just as soon was in another, which was soon replaced by an even newer place. He was flapping and descending towards the earth. As he did so he put his feat out and tumbled over himself. Covering himself in a layer of fine rainbow sand.

Considering the ring that was made, it gave Avi an idea. Leaning down he formed eight bodies out of the sand in his image. Forming metallic birds. His first creations. He sent them to practice flight and find a suitable place to set up a nest.

Taking a moment to rest he experimented with his lightning. Producing a rod in each claw. They sizzled and lit up the area around them. Electricity sparked outwards in a brilliant display. His master bolts were available on demand. He soon made them disappear.

Looking back at the ring, he spread his wings and used the wind to blow dry the sand off of him. Taking to all fours and thrusting up and made his way to the ring. He could hear the conversation in the ring. The introductions were being made. It seemed each of them knew the names they were given by Father Sky and Mother Earth.

Now the chairs of equal height and standing were up close. As he came in he found an open chair that was of interest. He willed his chair to change shape. The granite legs were corroded into bird feet, the arm rests became wings, and up top Avi landed. His talons gripped the granite as a perch. Sitting there, he listened.

[Kanoshu]

Goedana - Goddess of the Plants and Maddening Knowledge.

As the newly formed consciousnesses gathered atop the circle on the mountain, something emerged from the earth on the edge of their vision.
A green shoot had burst from the soil, and now swayed delicately in the breeze the great bird's wings had stirred. In a process that took both moments and an eternity, the green shoot would reach towards the heavens, its stem thickening into a great trunk, darkening and twisting as it grew. Leaves sprouted wildly and were pushed outwards by snaking branches, roots emerged and dug into the soil, upturning it as they took anchor. Before them stood a willow tree, its branches stooping low and hugging the ground, shrouding its interior.

The First Tree:

As shrubs and flowers began to bloom around its base, something was occurring behind it's leafy veil. Threads of consciousness were pulled together out of the void, from the eternal silence, from nothingness. Piece by piece, a mind was forged from chaotic tides beneath its shade.

Unlike the others, the fifth-born did not enter the world calmly or inquisitively. It felt as if her mind had being violently ripped from the void and forced into being, existence thrust upon it against it's will. This new mind was not a calm nor serene one. It was a whirlpool of maddening voices and chaotic thought that grew in intensity - and as it did so, her physical form began to manifest.

The branches of the willow tree parted and a woman emerged. A woman who appeared as if she was being viewed through rippling water. Her form ever changing, never solid. Appearing as a mirage, laughing in the tree's branches and weeping beneath it's shadow all at once. Echoes of her danced around its trunk, and howled at the sky above it.

The haze of figures slowly drew closer and merged into a single shimmering woman, who appeared more dream than real. The figure approached them, as if to speak. But as she neared her siblings, she suddenly felt something was wrong. The goddess felt herself growing cold and frail, her mind and form fading. She tried to call out in terror. But before her lips could part she collapsed as if in great agony. Brought to her knees, she turned back towards the willow tree and felt it's pull. She knew then that it was part of her and she was part of it. They had birthed each other in a single moment, one could not exist far from the other.

Her consciousness melted back towards the safety of it branches, and she felt warmth and strength fill her mind once more. The world outside the branches appeared dark and icy cold, like a midnight ocean, she did not want to venture there again.

'Woe upon us brothers and sisters!' her voice called out with both despair and mania, from behind the green and leafy shroud. 'Woe on us to be born into this maddening and cold world!'

[Cainesland]

'Woe upon us brothers and sisters!' her voice called out with both despair and mania, from behind the green and leafy shroud. 'Woe on us to be born into this maddening and cold world!'

Avi looked towards the tree where the sound came from. He made out its fresh scent, emanating oxygen. He spread out his wings to feel the breeze and then closed them again. “This world may be new but it does not seem maddening or cold” Avi replied. “There is a cool breeze but that is refreshing”.

The tree looked like a nice place to roost, but he decided against going towards her at this time. She seemed panicked and he should wait.

Looking around it appeared that more of his siblings were coming to the beacon that the circle created. It seemed interesting how many there were. They were of different shapes and sizes and seemed to have different talents.

[Untecna]

In the Heavens, which was dark to the world below, a small object formed. It grew into a large glowing sphere, which was blurred on the land below. Erupting from it came Kalyis, formed from a star itself. The star soon collapsed, creating a great flash, and he sat above the land, judging it from his vantage. He saw the formation of other gods and the ones that had formed, so sharp was his vision.

He soon felt the laws of science breach his mind, and he soon began theorizing all things and learning. He was but a child's mind at this point, taking in all of the knowledge as he got it. As he did he began to light up the heavens with stars, one at a time to the exact needs of the areas. These were his first clues to life of what existed in the realm of science.

He soon descended to the surface to lay down clues of his knowledge for life, and would be visible as he did. He appeared as more of a celestial being, glowing with great radiance and wielding a large collection of knowledge.

"So you are the others formed? I suppose I must learn who you are."

[The Grene Knyght]

Mínadúrha - Goddess of Outcasts and Subversiveness

---

Light and heat spread across the Rainbow Mountains for the first time as the sphere took shape overhead. Mínadúrha had not known she stood in darkness, had not even known what darkness was, until light bathed the world. Gods had no need of light to see, and doubly so for Mínadúrha, who's wizened old avatar wore a blindfold at all times. And still the heat and the light was a comfort to her.

Then she grew bored of it. She tapped her staff against the polished stone floor, and thrust the world into motion. It tumbled through space, its axis rotating wildly, so that its surface moved through darkness and light seemingly at random. This pleased Mínadúrha.

The crone shifted, space warping as a throne came to meet her without moving from its place, in a way only a god could comprehend. She sat in a throne of shade and void, staff leaning against it.

"Woe on us," she heard "to be born into this maddening and cold world"

And a reply: This world may be new but it does not seem maddening or cold. There is a cool breeze but that is refreshing”

"Less cold now my brother, I think, though I hope it shall become more maddening," Mínadúrha interjected. And addressing the first speaker: "Come, sister, what can I say to coax you from your refuge? We have much to discuss, I'm sure."

[The National Dominion of Hungary]

In a churning swirl of what can only be described as the most primordial forms of energy to ever be, a new consciousness was molded, twisting and folding upon itself for what seemed like an eternity, if not longer, before truly manifesting. To the being itself, there was no continuity in this process, no eons of slow coalescence, only a sharp snap into reality as a mighty hammerblow resounded across Creation. The newborn godling felt a great passionate fire within itself, a desire for power, for greatness, for control. It was all-consuming but also, for this being, it felt more right than anything ever experienced.

I am... Hazdralyx The neonate godling thought, the name felt true, real. Just as his makers Father Sky and Mother Earth had intended. His consciousness extended across space and time, feeling the presence of others like him. Born from Father Sky and Mother Earth, deities, gods. Brothers, sisters.

Hazdralyx opened their eyes and looked upon a great mountain shimmering in a great prism of resplendent color, the pinnacle of creation. My siblings, they are all close, they are all here. They felt the great divine power surge within and a feeling of determination rose within their fiery breast. Out there, in the great dance of Creation unleashed by his makers was the First World, a great canvas for them and their siblings. That world and more, one day I shall bend to my image and will...

Hazdralyx looked across the resplendent hues of the Rainbow Mountain, they saw swirling ethereal lights, forming into beings, their siblings being born while some had already taken shape. The began gathering upon a great plateau of polished and perfectly flat primordial stone, a circle of mighty granite thrones awaiting. Hazdralyx was drawn to this place, it felt... like something they had to do, they had to be there, they had to speak to the rest of their divine kin.

With merely a thought, Hazdralyx flew, as a great cloud of thick black smoke hurtling down the size of the mountain toward the grand plateau. It was at the same time a strange and utterly natural feeling, as the cloud gathered by one of the mighty granite thrones, the cloud reformed and reshaped. Strong legs, open ribs where their passionate fire burned red-hot, a horned head, Hazdralyx stood with their brethren. They looked at the thrones. Why are the thrones all... same? Why is there not one raised? Not one greater? Are not the Makers our masters? They thought before turning to the others.

"I was drawn to this place by a call I could not resist, and I felt you, all of you, your presence, your power. It seems to me like we are fruits of the same Union, between Mother Earth and Father Sky. I am Hazdralyx, brothers and sisters."

[Cainesland]

“So you are the others who formed?” Avi heard from a radiant body descending from above.

Avi nodded. “Hello. I am Avi”. He figured his powers were less important in this case and didn’t include them in the answer. This was an informal event. Soon another voice entered the symphony of voices. "Less cold now my brother, I think” Avi nodded at Mínadúrha, although her name was not familiar to him yet. “Though I hope it shall become more maddening”. Avi could appreciate the sentiment, maybe maddening as in more chaotic as in more things taking place. But maddening as in annoying or angering or insanity, this didn’t seem to be the time or place or group for that.
"Come, sister, what can I say to coax you from your refuge? We have much to discuss, I'm sure."

With Mínadúrha moving on Avi nodded at the next speaker. They asked about the chairs, father sky and Mother Earth, and the draw to meet here. “It is hard to tell” Avi began. “We each have a chair in the circle. It seems to represent equality”. As Avi talked his beak moved up and down and his pharyngeal jaw moved slightly.

“While we likely possess different gifts from father sky and Mother Earth, in which we take after either differently” Avi highlighted that point by spreading his wings, identifying that he was the only bird like one thus far, “we are equal in power and influence compared to each other. It is possible that because we are siblings and therefore should be helping each other do well, that has drawn you here”. He tried to point to the different faces, and the empty chairs yet to be filled.

“I have not seen Father and mother yet. If they would like a chair it is feasible that they get one each. But I’m guessing they have better thrones elsewhere”. There was a short pause as he considered where they might be. Breaking the pause he continued “Regardless however, it is nice to meet you Haz-Dral-yx” He struggled to pronounce the name through his beak and second jaw. “I am Avi”.

[States of the Free Folk]

As soon as that hammer struck the mountain and flattened its peak into a circle, something woke at the base of Rainbow Mountain. With the first act of creation to have been enacted upon that barren world, a primordial force was birthed along in response. As if that world decided to push back against the imposition of will of the Forge-Father. This could have been ignited by any other act, by any other entity, but fate decided that it would be fitting for the god of creation to have triggered the coming of the Rot.

And so, the mountain shook slightly. Then, the tremor grew, as a form was given to that primordial force and sought to make space for its physical existence. It quickly made its way to the surface, tearing through stone, a loud rumbling sound filling the ears of the deities gathered around the circle as a small crack formed and marred its perfectly smooth stone surface. From the crack, sprouted a small clump of mushrooms, which grew and opened its caps.

In the middle of the heap, a gaunt humanoid form was crouched atop the mushrooms. It seemed made of the same stone that constituted the mountain at first, but then cracks formed upon its surface and the earthen skin quickly eroded into dust, which fell to its feet. Beneath, there was an organic visage, androgynous and devoid of any strongly defining features. Its skin was of a sickly white and it hugged its bony form tightly. The being grinned from ear to ear and stood up, revealing to be quite tall, and strode the short distance between them and Maerios, each step of its lanky legs covering a great length.

The being then spoke with a rather enthusiastic tone, surprisingly for its form. ”You are most correct, brother! It is our duty to order things. Enough of the old times of infinite void we inhabited, when nothing was nowhere, never! But also, everywhere. Did we even have a where?” Mors tapped their chin thoughtfully, looking up.

They then shrugged, and sought to place a bony hand on the Forge-Father’s shoulder, extending an open palm toward the vast lands before them. ”Anyway, now we do! And if we have a now, and a then, this means things have changed! And this means we need a sequence for events. One thing comes before the next, and the latter shall have another soon take its place. All things shall have a beginning and an end, this I dictate.“

The skeletal being then seemed to notice something beneath its foot, and held it up to gaze at the fissure that had been opened by its coming. ”Oh.”, they let out with a tone of mild surprise. They twisted their thin lips on one side and furrowed their eyebrows - or at least where eyebrows should have sat, for there was not a single hair on their body. ”Y’know, this thing might be small right now, but I have the feeling that it’ll get bigger.” They then looked up to the group of deities around them, smiling brightly. ”Anyway, I am Mors! I believe you are all already getting acquainted. No need to reintroduce yourselves for me, I’ve been listening ever since that fellow gave the earth a good ol’ beating.” They pounded an open palm with a clenched fist a few times.

[G-Tech Corporation]

“Mors.”

The name rolled around on Maerios’ tongue, and he looked down at the tiny fissure through which the creature of entropy had emerged. An eyebrow quirked upwards, red and bushy, and a twitch of one of his hard calluses hands betrayed an action of the mind. The fissure rolled along the smooth surface of the Locus, for all the world as if it were alive, a rumbling of the earth following it. Then, unceremoniously, it climbed one of the great thrones set about the circle and settled there, a spiderweb of fractures not compromising the integrity of the structure but betraying an eternal fate.

A ghost of a smile passed his face, and he nodded to the Spectre of Beginnings and Endings.

“Something to make you feel more at home, methinks. Best not to break the discourse between sons and daughters, even if you seek new things and old things at once. The seats, ah, they are for molding.”

[States of the Free Folk]

"Ah!", the creature let out in another expression of semi-surprise, lifting both eyebrows. "Thank you, that shall suit me nicely." The being bowed down in an exaggeratedly ceremonious gesture and strode toward the fractured throne, once again crouching upon it rather than sitting normally. Mors turned their attention to the others and watched them, lacing their fingers together as fungi started to sprout over portions of their skin. An enthusiastic smile remained sitting upon their lips. They paid special attention to the talk of Mother Earth and Father Sky started by Avi. "Do you think they will even show up like we are doing? Maybe they'll just let us do our thing."

[Untecna]

"You appear as a large... what is it called? Ah, a bird. Excuse my lack of knowledge on the rest of you, it seems whoever he blessed me with my abilities forgot to inform me of others. I am Kalyis, and I control the domains of Science and Space." He would say in reply to Avi.

He then began to formulate ways to bring clues to life below. Perhaps he could lay some in the natural world they had and let them find more as they found those that led to others. He wished for those below to be smart and to understand the principles of the cosmos and their home.

"Father Sky and Mother Earth have perhaps let me be a being on their level of existence. Perhaps I am above Father Sky. Ah, theories... if there is no other joy, then I am truly at a loss."

[Hospe]

It's mind was filled with music, the sound of pure life. It did not know where it had come from but it could see things: a grove full of trees sprouting at unnatural speed, the sun shining through leaves. It didn't know what the sun was. This vision was interrupted by the sound of thunder, the vision darkened as rain poured down upon the grove.
It felt energy through the earth. The earth, his mother. He felt other beings, so similar yet so different. He felt their minds. Thoughts, hopes, ideas. All concepts yet they felt so solid to him. He felt the truth. They were real, he wasn't. Not yet. He pulled the energy from their minds hungrily. Thoughts, hopes, dreams, all things that defined a conscious and intelligent mind. The ability to want, to expect and adapt.

He woke in the grove, mother earth shaping him from the clay formed by the rain and the soil. The sky was clear again, welcoming him to the world. The newly formed trees quivered in cool breeze."Avi." The name sprung to his mind. "He created the winds." The newborn god murmured to himself. "Just as Goedana created trees."
His clay skin began to take on a softer texture, that of skin,he closed his eyes seeing things: smaller beings working on land, dying, building, creating. He saw villages become towns, cities being torn apart by weapons that would not exist for a very long time. Ideas, dreams, possibilities, both good and bad.

When he opened his eyes they shone an eerie pale blue, his visions were tattooed on his skin scrawled in images and languages that only he could understand. A dark blue tunic wrapped it self around him, accompanied by a white hooded cloak lined with the same green as the trees around him. "Jephri". He said, naming himself. The trees hearing his name began to bear flowers and fruit. Spring was born.

He saw in his mind a circle of granite thrones and set off towards it, feeling the familiar energies. The same ones that he had used to pull himself into a true existence.

[The National Dominion of Hungary]

Hazdralyx cocked their head to one side as they listened to Avi's words. Equality? Hazdralyx knew what the word meant, it was just that it was utterly anathema to them, it was against the very core of their nature and being. There must always be a master there to rule, just as there must always be servants who obey without question. Hazdralyx thought to themselves. How was it possible that Father Sky and Mother Earth did not consider this when beginning their dance of creation? Without them here to impose order then... then there was only one way, someone would have to rise to power. Whatever it takes, anarchy was the enemy of order, the devastator of creation. Father Sky and Mother Earth could not want that for the cosmos they had made, no, absolutely not...

"Yes, brother Avi." Hazdralyx finally said as they put their thoughts aside after listening to Avi's theory, words forming despite their mouthless face. "For now, at least..."

Hazdralyx turned from the mighty bird and walked over to one of the imposing thrones before sitting down, watching one godling after another arrive and announce themselves to their divine brethren.

Do our thing? The fiery pits that were Hazdralyx's eyes blazed brighter for a second, as did the flames licking the back of the throne where they sat. "I do believe the Makers will come, Mors. Our parents wouldn't want Creation to fall to disorder." Hazdralyx said, leaning back and crossing their legs.

[Cainesland]

They paid special attention to the talk of Mother Earth and Father Sky started by Avi. [i]"Do you think they will even show up like we are doing? Maybe they'll just let us do our thing."

Avi looked at the other deity. The deity of death that looked like a tall, pale, frail, skinny, hairless, great ape. “It’s certainly possible. I would not be surprised to see them eventually. It would be nice. However, it’s hard to say when. We are fairly young. I only just recently hatched after all”.

"You appear as a large... what is it called? Ah, a bird. Excuse my lack of knowledge on the rest of you, it seems whoever he blessed me with my abilities forgot to inform me of others. I am Kalyis, and I control the domains of Science and Space." He would say in reply to Avi. "Father Sky and Mother Earth have perhaps let me be a being on their level of existence. Perhaps I am above Father Sky. Ah, theories... if there is no other joy, then I am truly at a loss."

Avi turned his attention to Kalyis. “I suppose a large bird is a good way to describe me” Avi said before looking himself over. “I control the storms and winds, which should be interesting to learn to get a grasp on.” He summoned a lightning bolt in each hand to show Kalyis”. Things are fairly new currently. Making theories and testing them seems to be a good way to learn currently. I wouldn’t know I could fly if I didn’t try. Granted I could still use some practice.” He paused, attempted to chuckle and made a coughing sound.

"Yes, brother Avi." Hazdralyx finally said as they put their thoughts aside after listening to Avi's theory, words forming despite their mouthless face. "For now, at least..."

Avi dissipated the lightning rods and looked at Hazdralyx. “I suppose so.” They we’re all learning and trying new things currently. It didn’t seem beneficial to Avi to go about causing disorder by trying to attack each other. But may Hazdralyx had something else in mind. Avi didn’t know.
___________________

The 8 Arch-Avians (Lightning, Thunder, Rain, Snow, North, East, South, and West” tried to determine where to find the best location for Avi to set up. Having administrative power over his domains if he is absent or doesn’t command against it, they tried to think about where a good location would be.

“It should be in the west” suggested West. “That way we are closer to the sunset” East didn’t seem convinced. “It should be in the east, that way we can get an early rise. The early bird gets the worm”. West retorted. “I feel like bug hunting is best at night, which we’d have an advantage on if we were in the west near the sunset”. “No, we’d be blinded by the sunset”. It was a purely theoretical discussion. With none of them having participated in a hunt, much less a big hunt, not having seen a sunset or sunrise it was hard to get anywhere.

Rather than have the 6 others stare some others tried to get involved. Rain jumped in. “It should be somewhere with good drainage”. Snow jumped in “North or south would be nice and cool”. Lightning and thunder then gave their 2 cents. “Equatorial would be better. No need to freeze”.

They determined that they should be looking for someplace with good drainage to avoid flooding, someplace cool but not too cool, and someplace near the sunrise. It was determined that they’d set out to look North East of the circle.

As they flew they identified potential sites. Hills, valleys, plains. They soon came upon a mountain with a depression around it. It was a short flight north east of circle. It was determined that they would fly back and report to Avi.

[States of the Free Folk]

Mors could not help but smirk at Kalyis' supposition. Above Father Sky? My, oh, my, this one's an amibitious one. Well, I should be expecting ideas like those coming from my siblings, they thought, but remained silent on the celestial being's theories. Then, their attention turned to the utterings of their apparently rather worried sibling. "Disorder?", Mors repeated Hazdralyx's last word with a suggestion of a smile on their lips. "No, I don't see it that way. Even if they do not manifest themselves in a form similar to the ones we use, I don't think this means disorder."

Mors raised their arm and held their hand out to the vastness that they could gaze upon, from the peak of Rainbow Mountain. The blue skies above them and the expansive lands beneath. "Even if they do not issue commands through spoken word, their natures are observable, and each of us also is part of their essence. If we exist as we do, it is because Mother and Father willed us so. We must follow the call of our natures, the voices inside ourselves, and work our wills upon this world accordingly. For our wills are only fragments of the wills of our Father and Mother." They rested their hands on their knees again and concluded. "See? Natural order."

They then looked back to Kalyis. "Well, since you seem intent on learning each of our natures, or the spheres we govern. Mine is rather simple! To ensure that everything comes to an end. Everything." They emphasized the last word with a nod, always holding a polite smile on their thin lips. "So, I'll be following the work of each of you closely." Then, they tilted their head to the side. "Science, hm? I have a feeling you would do well to keep close to that brother of ours... what is his name again... Scriniarii?" Mors looked back in the direction of the god of knowledge, tapping their chin.

[G-Tech Corporation]

The rumbling in his breast was building. It was a feeling which was impossible, like being filled with light, or a supernova kindled behind his heart. They talked, and his ears began ringing. They smiled, and the pressure behind his eyes only increased. It wasn’t their fault; he knew that instinctively. But each tiny gesture, each change and making and unmaking, they only added to the potential, to the power of the storm that surged within.

It pulsed like a living thing, breathing his breath, devouring every lick of attention he gave to containing it. His eyes, as blue as the deepest sea, stared unknowingly across a vast distance, unaware of the world around him. The panoply of gods didn’t even register in his awareness, save as more distinct notes of the energy within, a chiming symphony of excess which clawed at his throat.

“Excuse me.”

He muttered the words, only dimly aware of what they meant. His right hand twisted, tugging at the fabric of space and the space between spaces with an unconscious demand. And the Smith-God disappeared in instant, with no fanfare. His awareness fled, beyond the fabric of the World Between Worlds, leaping from the thread of the weaving like a speck of dust which dances in the sunshine. His mind hung there for perhaps an instant, perhaps an eternity, perhaps the beat of a heart, perhaps the age of a star. What was the famous quote?

A king, a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams.

In that space between spaces Maerios could hold back the tidal wave no more. It demanded of him, commanded him, and refused to be silenced. Light, and dark, and void, and heaven, they all poured from his throat in a jumble, a cacophonous roar with notes in it - a composition of boundless sorrow for the purity it destroyed, and untrammeled gladness for the potential it embodied. Where it came from he couldn’t say, and it did not seem to be a part of him, so much as using him as a conduit. A curious thing, and it did not drain him. If anything it was invigorating.

The harmony begat substance, and the substance begat space, and the space begat time. He felt, he did not see, the tapestry beginning anew. The spindle turned, and the work was begun. He was blind by the stream of raw Creation about him, and then he felt it.

Underfoot.

Soil. Earth. Pebbles. Stone.

His vision cleared, and a slow smile of wonderment crept across his face. It wasn’t much to look at. A starless sky stood where it could have been, an inky void. High mountains untouched by day or night or wind or rain laid bare and naked beneath the cloudless air. But it was something different than the Rainbow Mountain, different than the World Between Worlds.

The First World. A final symphony of the Father and the Mother. And Maerios was glad.

[Cainesland]

Avi watched as Maerios disappeared from the circle. Pointing to the now empty space he squaked. “He’s gone?” It was an odd thing to witness. First he was there and then he wasn’t. It was likely that no one would have an explanation but he was open to hearing one. Soon his 8 Arch-Avians descended on his throne. “We found a spot for you”. They proclaimed, looking up at him sitting on top of the granite thrives back rest. It was a strange, but interesting, first day so far.

[Untecna]

They paid special attention to the talk of Mother Earth and Father Sky started by Avi. [i]"Do you think they will even show up like we are doing? Maybe they'll just let us do our thing."

Avi looked at the other deity. The deity of death that looked like a tall, pale, frail, skinny, hairless, great ape. “It’s certainly possible. I would not be surprised to see them eventually. It would be nice. However, it’s hard to say when. We are fairly young. I only just recently hatched after all”.

"You appear as a large... what is it called? Ah, a bird. Excuse my lack of knowledge on the rest of you, it seems whoever he blessed me with my abilities forgot to inform me of others. I am Kalyis, and I control the domains of Science and Space." He would say in reply to Avi. "Father Sky and Mother Earth have perhaps let me be a being on their level of existence. Perhaps I am above Father Sky. Ah, theories... if there is no other joy, then I am truly at a loss."

Avi turned his attention to Kalyis. “I suppose a large bird is a good way to describe me” Avi said before looking himself over. “I control the storms and winds, which should be interesting to learn to get a grasp on.” He summoned a lightning bolt in each hand to show Kalyis”. Things are fairly new currently. Making theories and testing them seems to be a good way to learn currently. I wouldn’t know I could fly if I didn’t try. Granted I could still use some practice.” He paused, attempted to chuckle and made a coughing sound.

"Yes, brother Avi." Hazdralyx finally said as they put their thoughts aside after listening to Avi's theory, words forming despite their mouthless face. "For now, at least..."

Avi dissipated the lightning rods and looked at Hazdralyx. “I suppose so.” They we’re all learning and trying new things currently. It didn’t seem beneficial to Avi to go about causing disorder by trying to attack each other. But may Hazdralyx had something else in mind. Avi didn’t know.
___________________

The 8 Arch-Avians (Lightning, Thunder, Rain, Snow, North, East, South, and West” tried to determine where to find the best location for Avi to set up. Having administrative power over his domains if he is absent or doesn’t command against it, they tried to think about where a good location would be.

“It should be in the west” suggested West. “That way we are closer to the sunset” East didn’t seem convinced. “It should be in the east, that way we can get an early rise. The early bird gets the worm”. West retorted. “I feel like bug hunting is best at night, which we’d have an advantage on if we were in the west near the sunset”. “No, we’d be blinded by the sunset”. It was a purely theoretical discussion. With none of them having participated in a hunt, much less a big hunt, not having seen a sunset or sunrise it was hard to get anywhere.

Rather than have the 6 others stare some others tried to get involved. Rain jumped in. “It should be somewhere with good drainage”. Snow jumped in “North or south would be nice and cool”. Lightning and thunder then gave their 2 cents. “Equatorial would be better. No need to freeze”.

They determined that they should be looking for someplace with good drainage to avoid flooding, someplace cool but not too cool, and someplace near the sunrise. It was determined that they’d set out to look North East of the circle.

As they flew they identified potential sites. Hills, valleys, plains. They soon came upon a mountain with a depression around it. It was a short flight north east of circle. It was determined that they would fly back and report to Avi.

"I only suddenly assumed all basic knowledge of science, so I suppose I have little to actually test... but perhaps there is more that is not there because it is not relevant yet." Kalyis seemed to be focusing on those clues. "Do you have any ideas on how I can lay out some clues for other lifeforms to use to learn my skills?"

Mors could not help but smirk at Kalyis' supposition. Above Father Sky? My, oh, my, this one's an amibitious one. Well, I should be expecting ideas like those coming from my siblings, they thought, but remained silent on the celestial being's theories. Then, their attention turned to the utterings of their apparently rather worried sibling. "Disorder?", Mors repeated Hazdralyx's last word with a suggestion of a smile on their lips. "No, I don't see it that way. Even if they do not manifest themselves in a form similar to the ones we use, I don't think this means disorder."

Mors raised their arm and held their hand out to the vastness that they could gaze upon, from the peak of Rainbow Mountain. The blue skies above them and the expansive lands beneath. "Even if they do not issue commands through spoken word, their natures are observable, and each of us also is part of their essence. If we exist as we do, it is because Mother and Father willed us so. We must follow the call of our natures, the voices inside ourselves, and work our wills upon this world accordingly. For our wills are only fragments of the wills of our Father and Mother." They rested their hands on their knees again and concluded. "See? Natural order."

They then looked back to Kalyis. "Well, since you seem intent on learning each of our natures, or the spheres we govern. Mine is rather simple! To ensure that everything comes to an end. Everything." They emphasized the last word with a nod, always holding a polite smile on their thin lips. "So, I'll be following the work of each of you closely." Then, they tilted their head to the side. "Science, hm? I have a feeling you would do well to keep close to that brother of ours... what is his name again... Scriniarii?" Mors looked back in the direction of the god of knowledge, tapping their chin.

"Do I seem arrogant to you?" Kalyis would ask Mors. "I am afraid I might, on that note though, I am a god of space, and space is technically above the sky and the earth, so... I'm not entirely wrong in my theory." He moves closer to Mors. "So you control death and decay? That seems rather depressing."

[Nea Videssos]

Sakaal - God of the Moon and Magic

Something unseen and ephemeral, pervading the new-born universe, stirred. Drawn by instinct, a slumbering consciousness was waking, a vague awareness sharpening moment by moment. It began to gather and amalgamate an invisible force that permeated creation. As it congealed, vast ripples of colourless energy became visible, flowing to one particular spot. Composed of infinitesimally tiny particles, the energy had condensed to such a great extent that it was extremely difficult to miss. Above the mountain of rainbow, a spherical pale white egg flickered into being. A heartbeat sounded, and as it did, a whirlwind of kaleidoscopic magical energy flashed, swirled and scattered. Pulsing in and out, waves of coruscating sorcery engulfed the nearby environs, profound patterns - primordial runic symbols - emerging and disappearing in the blink of an eye. Shining brightly, the divine egg began cracking. Soon, it crumbled into tiny particles that were rapidly absorbed by the obscured figure dwelling within. The pulsing arcane energy, crackling and distorting the surrounding space, soon began to recede like a tide flowing backwards. A moment later, it was gone, revealing an enormous golden-eyed, silvery-white serpent whose tongue flicked out in curiosity as it surveyed its surroundings. This divine serpent was no less than Sakaal, the godly entity forged from the primordial essence of magic itself, given will and shape by Father Sky and Mother Earth.

Assuming the form that instinct had compelled, the Serpent God glided through the air, testing its physical vessel. Pale white light flickering from its body, the Moon Serpent's calm gaze moved from the empty heavens to the rainbow mountain beneath, before focusing on the other gods as they awakened. The first was a feathered being that seemed to revel in its power to fly through space. The second was strong and sturdy, a titan of stone at first, then a smaller shape of flesh that still retained its imposing aura. The third, meanwhile, crafted a basic form that emphasised practicality over anything else. It was the first to utilise vibrations in the air to convey meaning, greeting the shaper of stone. Then there was a goddess that adopted a form of flesh that bore many similarities to the second, though it seemed deliberately crafted in the from of an old, crippled version of that type of creature. After that, various others followed, including a tree-dwelling goddess, a horned, fiery giant and a mushroom-ridden, corpse-like being. Pondering over the forms they had taken, Sakaal recognised the utility of the appendages they possessed.

The serpent paused, glancing at the tall peak nearby. Seemingly pondering something for a moment, it casually spat out a wave of silver-gold energy that rapidly coalesced into a series of crude yet profound symbols, trembling with barely constrained raw, tempestuous energy. Gradually, the symbols grew brighter and brighter, accompanied by a faint hum. Light cascaded like a waterfall, and a shockwave of energy rippled as space twisted under the pressure of divine sorcery. Atop the peak, a cyclopean white-gold tower flickered into existence. At first, it was composed of interlocking primordial runes of gold and silver, surrounded by grainy grey specks of energy. Within seconds, however, it grew more substantial, seeming no less sturdy than the stone upon which it was built. While the magic was raw and crude, the Moon Serpent's instincts allowed it to manipulate and shape magic with an innate familiarity no other being possessed. The tower was simple, but the serpent god felt it would serve as a good place within which to reside.

Sakaal slithered through the sky above, arcing down towards the tower atop the Rainbow Mountain. As it neared the tower, the giant serpent visibly shrunk, light flashing from its body as it adopted a form in the same fashion as two of the gods before it. Gone was the colossal serpent in the sky. Instead, light continued to oscillate from atop the tower, emanating from a much smaller, humanoid figure, before fading away. The only light that remained was the seemingly omnipresent pale silvery light from earlier, an aura of oddly calming light that the slender, feminine figure radiated. This figure was clad in white silk robes, a helm in the form of an ornate golden metal crown obscuring the upper half of their face from view. Silvery-white hair, pale skin and legs that ended in snakes rather than feet, helped give off an impression of otherworldliness, bolstered by the ethereal light issuing from the Moon God's body. Extending from Sakaal's legs, white-scaled, golden-eyed serpents slowly weaved through the air, tongues darting in the air as they sensed the surroundings.

The Moon Serpent gave a faint smile of satisfaction, finding this new form pleasing. While the casual onlooker might presume this form to be female, appearances could be deceiving. Sakaal, as it happened, preferred to adopt a male form, whilst his sense of aesthetics leant more towards the feminine. Raising a delicate hand, the androgynous god began harnessing arcane energy for another task. Tracing his fingers through the air in a seemingly random manner, the Great Sage formed a series of glyphs and runes that streaked into being. After he had drawn a certain amount, they began replicating themselves, and soon, they began appearing in all directions. They flashed, before a wave of multihued light was drawn in from all directions. Accumulating rapidly, the symbols shimmered, before condensing into a dense ball, the light following in turn. Sakaal reached out to grasp the ball of intense, blazing magical energy. As he did so, the ball churned, adopting a cylindrical form, before darkening and solidifying. Clutched in the god's right hand was a long, ornate golden sceptre.

With this matter settled, Sakaal turned his attention towards the others. He flickered and disappeared, promptly reappearing a short distance from the conversing deities at the gathering place fashioned by Maerios. He knew that they were his kin, likewise given form and will by the same primordial Sky and Earth. The Moon Serpent did not know how he knew, but felt that it was likely something imparted upon all of them upon birth. Having overheard the discussion so far, he had grasped a rough idea of things.

Speaking with a calm, soothing voice that matched his appearance, Sakaal greeted them. "It seems we all have been given form and will for various different purposes. Am I correct in assuming we each rule over different aspects of creation?" He paused, before adding, "I am Sakaal."