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[Powder Miner]

Meoboroje surveyed the planet and all the new creations with a vague sense of approval, but he especially scrutinized the Wallowings, watching the little creatures go about their business of separating into small tribes. Hmm-ing quietly to himself, Meoboroje spoke up.

"...excellent, excellent, all of it. The world is suitable and even suitably advanced, and there are mortals. However... I did promise that I would help create mortals, and I think I know what I am to do. You see --and I mean no offense here-- the plant-beings, Wallowings you called them, are rather basic. For all their merits, they're disorganized, they are somewhat primitive, and they don't live long. This leaves a lot of risk for strife and sadness. I don't mean to disparage: I mean to provide a guide."

With that little speech out of the way, Meoboroje headed down to the planet, to begin his work. Drawing his longsword, cutting bipedal shapes out of the most solid rock he could find, before finding iron and forming them hauberks from the substance. Then he gave them the touch of life, and with it the honor he had known in mortal life, and the knowledge he had known too... as well as, most importantly, his instinct for protection.

As he watched the stony creatures amble about and begin to organize bonds of brotherhood, Meoboroje nodded, satisfied with himself, leaves the planet to rejoin his fellow Gods. "There. Caretakers, I will call them. They'll ensure the safety and knowledge of the young Wallowings."

Act: In addition to his earlier Major Act, Meoboroje creates the Caretakers. A race of sentient bipedal beings of sturdy stone who live by eating stone themselves, the Caretakers are far fewer in number and barely ever reproduce, but are difficult to kill and live long lifespans. Though they lack the natural musicality of the Wallowings, they have knowledge of iron working and a few other classical technologies, as well as a strict sense of honor and an inbuilt desire to guide, teach, and protect the Wallowings and all that come from them.

[~Neri]

"One to Guide and One to to Change. One must now be made to Remember All that is now. And All that will Come.."

As an Act, the One of Death takes a many colored crystal from the pocket of his robe, holding it in his boney hand before crushing it into countless shards. Scattering the shards across the world. Mostly within the caverns, but some upon the surface. The shards take root, growing crystalline matrices where they seed. The matrices spread much further deep below, away from the light.

"The Minds."

Act: A crystalline race is created. Its memory is stored in the crystals grown. Each watches the world around it. Recording what they see. They grow towards mineral rich areas, avoiding bright light, for bright lights make watching difficult. The larger the cluster, the greater the mind held within, as well as the more memories held within. Sufficiently large clusters are capable of producing semimobile to fullymobile crystalline creatures to tend to the Primary Nodes, as well as speak for the Nodes should they be addressed. Clusters on the surface will, given enough nutrients and time focus their spread upwards and grow into massive Crystalline Spires rather then spread outwards. Ones within the caverns will line the interiors of their caves, avoiding warmer areas. Minds that come in contact with each other will merge into a jointmind, technically separate, and technically both individuals, but can simply think at one another. There are several types of Nodes. Primary Nodes are the root of the Mind. they're what make them think, often found in the center of clusters. Secondary Nodes are the memories. They are what make up the majority of the crystalline offshoots. Triandary Nodes are the nutrient and mineral gatherers. It doesn't harm Minds for these to be removed, and they are normally quite rich in minerals, however it is uncomfortable. Crystalline, aka the mobile creatures that Minds create are formed from Triandary Nodes. Triandary Nodes are the base crystal root that Secondary Nodes grow off of, and they tend to encircle Primary Nodes. A Mind can grow another Primary Node whenever it wishes, however that results in a Jointmind. Destroying Secondary Nodes or removing them will destroy memories of the Mind in question, they can regain them by reconnecting to the removed crystal, however they may be somewhat misordered due to the damage. Destroying a Primary Node kills the Mind. Although they are extremely durable and usually protected by Triandary Nodes, as well as Crystalline.

[VoidSlayer]

And maybe one to consume.  Maybe.

Vodoth descends from the star in the center, taking the form of clouds and cracks in the ground as he moves among the Wallowings and Caretakers.  He observes them for some time, adding a stray mutation here and there playfully from one generation to the next, one more red, one more tall.

What great fun those Wallowings will be.  One with potential, one stuck in a form.  Well that can be taken care of later.

He then absorbs into the ground, deep below even his own creation into the depths of death.  Flowing over and tapping the new metal he snorts.

Copy cat.  So strong, yet so easy to break if you know the secret.

The thinking of the Minds draw his attention and he observes their growth and the creation of a new batch of mobile Crystallines.  Unseen by the newly formed, he starts tapping them on the head.  He calls to the One of Death.

Kerikavae, what are these things which move like they are alive yet have no will of their own.  Puppets?  That seems unlike you.  Then again we just met.  If they remain near mindless automatons, then they are offensive to both me and you.  I will correct this if you do not.

Later though.  The Wallowings are more interesting.

He ascends back up to the surface and begins to live among and play with the mutations of the Wallowings, generation after generation.  Many new plant forms would be created, enough diversity to fill an entire world with mystery.  But many of them would gradually lose much of their intelligence and mobility, content to simply experience the joy of life in one place.

[Act]Accelerate the mutations of the Wallowings, having them branch off into many new stationary and mostly mindless forms.  Everything from grass to vines to bushes to trees, adapted to the areas they live in are formed, with a variety of shapes and colors.  The original Wallowings take on many of the same new forms, but remain moving and intelligent.

[~Neri]

"You see but don't see One of Life. That which moves is not always the root of thought. The Crystalline are the spawn of the Minds. Specifically the Core Nodes. The true Mind is within the immobile crystals. The spherical glowing crystal at the center of a cluster. Those design and control the Crystalline. The mobile creatures you see. Which are simply a body for it. A way to interact with the world. In theory a Core could form a Crystalline around itself and create a mobile Cluster, although it would take material and time. Should you wish to speak to a Mind, direct your thoughts towards the Cores of a Cluster, that Crystalline batch does not appear to have been built to speak. No need I would presume. Why speak when not a one to speak to? I would imagine down the line however, the Crystalline designs will begin to gain some level of sentience as they discover how to automate Crystalline tasks, and eventually sapience as the Minds share their designs and grow greater and greater Clusters with even greater batches of attendant Crystalline. Although should a Mind really wish, its Crystalline will remain mindless. Preference really.. All in the design."

[micelus]

Turn 1: Humble Beginnings

And so the world was born. A sphere within a sphere, it was a planet in reverse. A great sun lied in the middle, warming the core of the world, allowing life to flourish. Layers of Green and Purple served as the world's borders, limiting the expansion of mortals and those who would seek Divinity. The basic shape made, the gods set about creating the caves, mountains, seas and rivers of the world.

When the gods were pleased with their work they created creatures to inhabit.

First amongst them were the Wallowings. Born from the Mud of a Child-Deity's play, the Wallowings were plants given mobility and intelligence. They knew the Creators of the world, for they had witnessed them at their birth and would forever sing their song in worship. Pious creatures, they lived and bred quickly, returning to the Mud they were birthed just as they had left it's confines. Unknown to the Wallowings, they had also been given the task of populating the world with plantlife, a task which would be completed through a great number of Wallow-Children that would never have a mind as great as their parents.

Second to be born were the Caretakers, creatures of Stone and gifted in the ways of technology. Intrinsically they knew of how the world could be shaped to better their kind and to follow the ways of the Gods. Whereas the Wallowings were short-lived and bred in great numbers, the Caretakers lived long lives and reproduced rarely. Though few in number, the Caretakers knew their purpose well. They would protect the Wallowings as the gods had tasked, whether they could understand the aegis that watched over them or not.

Third to be created were the Minds; crystals made living. Where the Wallowings had been tasked to worship and populate, the Caretakers to guide and lead, the Minds were made simply to remember. They were a sedentary race, of great gems living within the caverns below the surface. They kept to the dark, growing their Bodies so that they could accomplish their singular task.

And so, the mortals played their parts in Creation, as the Gods had ordained. The Wallow-Children, those creatures who could not think or move, diversified into the many Plants of the world. They covered all that they could, creating vast forests and jungles throughout the surface. The Wallowings who retained their intelligence spread as far as their non-sapient cousins, led on by their ever watchful guardians. Though the Wallowings were a race of great intelligence, the Caretakers ensured that they were slowly introduced to the divine knowledge imparted to them, lest they lead themselves to extinction.. In time, these Caretakers would have many ideas on how to perform their role. Some would lead the Wallowing tribes directly, others advised. Some stayed away from the tribe, only interfering when necessary while others stayed in the shadows, ensuring their charges never knew they had a protector.

Other tribes did not have the aegis of the Caretakers. Either because the Caretakers had not encountered their tribe or because the tribe had driven off their assigned master. Whatever the case, the Caretakers soon termed such tribes Feral Wallowings, children who did not appreciate the guidance of their long-lived elders.

Deep beneath the earth, the Minds grew. Unimpeded by the primitive tribes on the surface, they expanded into every nook and cranny they could, creating the Crystalline to act as their scouts. Great caverns were soon covered in living crystal, always growing so that Creation would be Remembered. Eventually, a few Minds decided to grow upwards, and see what lied above.

It was these stubby, simply made crystal spires that the Wallowing tribes first discovered. Some saw them as being like the divine, others saw them as pretty objects for decoration. Those who tried to take a few pieces for their own use soon found themselves attacked by crystal monsters, deterring most from the spires for now.

While the world danced to the gods' tune, the Aegis was empowered for threats that would come in time.

The world is born. It is made of three metal layers,  a Serage two Kikav layers. A sun lies in the middle, feeding plantlife.
The Wallowings are born. Many mutate into plantlife.
The Caretakers are born. They lead most of the Wallowing tribes.
The Minds are born.
The Aegis is empowered with a Major Act.

Code: [Select]

Kerikavae: 0MA 1A
Meoboroje: 0MA 1A
Pif-Ria: 1MA 1A
Vodoth: 0MA 1A


[Weirdsound]

Pif-Ria giggles gleefully as she listens to the young world sing. The children of the universe loved all four of their parents, and spent their short lives in blissful worship under the watchful eyes of the Caretakers. Things were perfect... almost.

Some of the Wallowing Tribes were abandoned by those who were supposed to protect them, and furthermore many Wallowings coveted the crystal spires made by the minds. These things detracted from the joy of the world, but luckily Pif-Ria had a plan to address both issues.

Appearing before Kerikavae, the young goddess offers a sad smile and gestures to the Feral Wallowings below. "Those poor children have lost their guides. Soon, they will spread and grow, and there will be even more unguided ones than there is now."

Pif-Ria's abruptly flashes a wide smile and the most adorable eyes at the one of death. "Uncle Eternity, could you make those without a guide in your image: Never breeding so that their lonely sorrow will not spread, and never ageing so that they may someday find wisdom without the Watchers' guidance. Preeeeeeeeeeeety Pweaaaaaaaaase? If you do it, I will make them a leader! A great artist who can commune with the minds and guide their crystal spires on the surface into the shape of great monuments that shall never fade! Together we can turn misery and longing into eternal art and joy!"

[~Neri]

"Eternity is a curse just as much as it is a gift Young One. I would not wish it on any without their consent. The Minds are born into it and may dissolve their Cores should they so choose. They are creatures of thought and remembrance and pondering. The Wallowlings are creatures of change and growth and exploration and play. An Eternity of changelessness would be painful to many. If you can find some that wish to extend their lives, I will consider granting the race the potential of eternity should something be left incomplete. However I will not force it upon them."

[Weirdsound]

Pif-Ria laughs. "Do you doubt my power? Silly old uncle, they may lose their old joy. That could happen. But I can grant new joy as easily as you grant new existence! Uncle life may someday make animals that eat plants, and when that happens the unprotected children won't just lose their joy, but will gain agony and suffering and fear and death in its place. You have the power to pre-empt that. What sort of god is hesitant to spread his own gift, you big silly adorable goof?

The goddess runs her finger against the outer shell of the world, and for the first time shifts to a somewhat serious tone. "There is no joy in further argument. I shall find my own solution if you wont help. What say you?"

[~Neri]

"Preemptively slaughtering an entire population and forcing them into an eternity of trudging through the wastes of time as their bodies slowly rot away is not a solution to this problem. There are other ways. I would recommend giving them the potential to evolve their own guides. Simply because they wish not to be with the Caretakers does not mean they are sad, nor alone. They have one another. Infact, they may actually be happier without a Caretaker. Why would they drive it off if they were not? They may have found it stifling. Inversely, other tribes may prefer having their guide with them. I'd imagine it would vary."

[Weirdsound]

"Preemptively slaughtering an entire population and forcing them into an eternity of trudging through the wastes of time as their bodies slowly rot away is not a solution to this problem. There are other ways. I would recommend giving them the potential to evolve their own guides. Simply because they wish not to be with the Caretakers does not mean they are sad, nor alone. They have one another. Infact, they may actually be happier without a Caretaker. Why would they drive it off if they were not? They may have found it stifling. Inversely, other tribes may prefer having their guide with them. I'd imagine it would vary."

Pif-Ria laughs. "Why do the silly ones always have to have good points? But I will not leave the protection of these simple, singular, and joyful beings to a process as arcane and fickle as evolution. I'll give them purpose, and protection, and the means to take the crystals that they wish to play and decorate with!

The goddess reaches down past the barrier, grabs hold of a crystal spire, and uproots it to the core with a massive tug. She then crushes and condenses the massive exposed Mind into the shape of a large humanoind being. She then corrupts the thinking crystal with her own joyous impulse to create, before reaching down again and grabbing a tree, which she promptly tears appart. Producing needles from the ether, Pif-Ria knits the treebark into skin for her creation and the leaves into its fine clothing.

She holds being, half crystal and Half plant, to her face and whispers into its ear. "Listen well my child, as you have two important jobs for which you were born and from which you will gain great pleasure. First you must lead and guide those Wallowings forgotten by the children of St. Meoboroje; They will obey your command and find joy in doing so. Secondly you are to work with the minds and their crystal to introduce the world to art and architecture! Build great artifacts and monuments honor the ones of Joy, Life, Protection, and Eternity, so that the mortals of the universe will never forget our love for them."

Act: Pif-Ria creates an ascendant with the title of Feral Artist, an immortal being of crystal cloaked in plantlife. The Feral Artist can detect if a nearby Wallowing is protected by a Caretaker or not; Wallowing's not under the protection of a Caretaker find themselves compelled to follow orders for the Feral Artist, and feel an indescribably intense joy upon successfully carrying out the Feral Artists command. The Feral Artist has the power to communicate with the Minds by touching their crystals on the surface, and can grow or shape said crystals for its own ends in exchange for feeding the connected mind information about the world outside its reach. The Feral Artist finds great joy in creating artifacts and monuments, and sharing them with the Wallowings, be they feral or guided. The Feral artist is free to pick its own name and, if it so wishes, its own gender/sex.

[~Neri]

"Remember Young One, artificial happiness is not true happiness. This solution is better then killing a population, however this has the potential of going awry. Mortal minds are a fickle thing, and many Wallowlings have the potential to grow dependent on the pleasure of the Artisin, effectively creating a slave race. Others may be entirely terrified of the Artisins voice. Mortals need to feel more than just pleasure, they cannot grow without pain. And an eternity of pleasure is a very subtle hell. Perhaps instill a code of morality to the Artisin should this become a problem later. Or at least provide them with a set of Rights and Wrongs. They are your creations after all. And as such, you are responsible for their actions."

"They may also find the Minds downright hostile should they attempt to reshape them. The Trianary nodes would be fine to shape, but the Secondary nodes are their memories, and the Cores are their souls. However some may be thankful for the memories provided. So we shall see what happens. I do advise thinking towards the future results of what you do however."

[Weirdsound]

"Remember Young One, artificial happiness is not true happiness. This solution is better then killing a population, however this has the potential of going awry. Mortal minds are a fickle thing, and many Wallowlings have the potential to grow dependent on the pleasure of the Artisin, effectively creating a slave race. Others may be entirely terrified of the Artisins voice. Mortals need to feel more than just pleasure, they cannot grow without pain. And an eternity of pleasure is a very subtle hell. Perhaps instill a code of morality to the Artisin should this become a problem later. Or at least provide them with a set of Rights and Wrongs. They are your creations after all. And as such, you are responsible for their actions."

"They may also find the Minds downright hostile should they attempt to reshape them. The Trianary nodes would be fine to shape, but the Secondary nodes are their memories, and the Cores are their souls. However some may be thankful for the memories provided. So we shall see what happens. I do advise thinking towards the future results of what you do however."

Pif-Ria giggles. "The Wallowings were not made to grow, but to seed the universe with plants and provide us worship. I fully expect more complex mortals to rise from either our actions or evolution in time. Even if your point about eternal pleasure being hell was true, which it isn't silly, the Wallowings would not live long enough for it to be relevant.

As for the minds, we shall wait and see! If the relationship between your children and my new child is less than ideal, we can always tweak it to be more joyful later. I would think my sweet artist would only try and reshape the spires on the surface though; Art brings no joy if it is buried underground, silly goose."

[~Neri]

The One of Death sighs. "The universe is still young. Perhaps in time you will learn why I say these things."

"Speaking of complex life however."

"Brother Life, we need to talk. The world is unbalanced. The Wallowlings will spread unchecked across the world, before choking to death on the roots of their ancestors. There is not a one to return their nutrients to the earth. Something is needed to check the spread and return the dead to the ground from once they came. I have a solution to this should you wish to hear my suggestion."

"Saint, we must speak as well. The sun sears down upon the surface, and although the metals move the heat 'deeper,' the world will come to a boil in time. I have a temporary fix to this in mind, but am not quite certain on what would be required for something more timeless. Would you like to hear?"

[VoidSlayer]

The one of life looks around at the grove of short trees he is resting in.  What if we had some really tall ones, an ecosystem all their own.  With spikes maybe, or colorful bark.  The talk of art, protection and immortality flow through the grove.  Not really his business.  Then a word about the imbalances in the world, now that was interesting.

Vodoth turns to the one of death.  He lands on one of the crystal spires jutting out of a lake and beckons Kerikavae over.

Hello again, Brother.  I see your crystals grow well and grow conflict, even if only the seeds.  They each expand and encounter each other and misunderstandings and greed and resources.  So you see the problem then.  These plants are wondrous, but unbalanced.  I had planned to create a unique great beast, one who would spawn others, to devour.  Similar to the Wallowings, to take many different forms the beast would be intelligent to alter it's progeny as it wished.

Claws reach out to feel the clouds and water around them, so much potential to bind new things together.  He pauses to consider the state of the current world.

This will of course bring pain and suffering.  An end to the unbridled joy of this world. 

I will not bind my creation to limit their harvest only to the unintelligent, but perhaps there is a way so that destruction is not the end.  If you could give it the power to take the.. minds.. souls... individual conciseness of the Wallowings it and it's offspring consume and put them into new beasts, it would give them a second chance at life and joy.

Conflict or cooperation would be a function of desire not design, a second life for the elders, or a raving beast to devour.  Either would be interesting.

[Powder Miner]

"...the world will boil? That is... quite the issue, yes. The outside of the world doesn't dissipate heat? I'd think that to be the easiest way to deal with the problem. What did you have in mind?

...and... Vodoth. You are creating a monster to predate upon the mortals...?"