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[S1lentWanderer]

Achieving something like Synthesis is a very distant goal, but we can use it as a beacon to align our path forward.
For now, the objective should be to reach Maturity, so that freedom will be within your grasp, little king.
I would assume that this objective likely involves the mastery of your current Mask and capabilities.
Practice your skills, develop your willpower. Grow in the Strength that is your birthright.
We can work out the details of the rest of the plan as time goes on.

[King Zultan]

Mastering skills seems like the best use of out time for now, we can figure out path to take later.

[ZBridges]

Another question for her, in the meantime: "What is the Devoured Sun?" 

[King Zultan]

Just thought of something. "How many sentient species were out found outside the Earth?"

[19_EgarAlnis]

Basil listens to the arguments and the discussions within his consciousness. He doesn't relay his internal struggles to his Mother, keeping it a secret, as directed. Instead he distracts her with genuine questions that her story raised.  The first being, "What is the Devoured Sun?"

"Was, my dear."  The Blighted Glass draws forth another sphere, this one a simulacrum of a Sun burning bright and hot. The silvery grey metal that melds and twists beneath her Willpower's grasp churns again, and another orb wraps itself around the star. The star cage shudders to become an inverted pyramid. Tentacles that could crush planets twist free of its bulk. Faces that could devour moons form next. Basil has to look away as the Blighted Glass lovingly renders the being in all its horrific glory. As the detail increases, so too does the unease that the child feels.  "Your [ancestor, hereditary grandparent]. The First Night."

It hurts to look at.

Eager to change the subject, Basil raises another question, "How many sentient species were there in the galaxy outside of Ancient Earth?"

"Counting pre-sapient sentients, non-sapient sentients, and true sapient life? Fifteen million, six hundred thousand, two hundred and eighty seven. Fifty six of which organized civilizations. Twenty of which were advanced enough for space flight, but only five of those were capable of interstellar travel." There is only pride in her voice. "We were made efficiently, however, so we wiped out any organism that may have had the possibility of becoming sapient. Down to a microbial level. Those were far too many too count. Trillions, perhaps."

The Blighted Glass returns to her throne, "Any intelligent design or worthwhile data patterns, however, we incorporated into our genetic memory. Or the Devoured Sun did, before it was Splintered by the Empyror. We learned much."

Basil nods, standing stiff and still. He tries his best to think of nothing. Not his goals, his plans, or his nascent ideals, or the gut-wrenching horror her calculation instilled -- instead, "What is the purpose of my physical design?"

"You are a Praetor. Command of basic Active Dust, the Drudges, the Acolytes, the Heralds, the Hierophants -- Only your siblings answer only to me. Mimicry, Amalgamation, Synthesis, Quantum Networking, Rot, Divine Conscious, and Unified Field Manipulation." Information floods Basil as she speaks, and he analyzes as it flows in through their link, which he now understands as packets of data sent through complex quantum entanglements. "And Control."

"Control?"

[13] The Blighted Glass gestures towards Sloan's snoring body. "Our Dust is not so easily consumed by the natural cycles of the galaxy. On every planet we burned, we left ourselves behind. Particles were taken in by plants, by animals. It lingered in the waters. In the Third Children, it concentrates in the nervous systems. In machines, it concentrates in circuits. It responds to our Will. The higher the concentration, the easier the command." She smiles. Blood pours down. "Machine or 'man' bow when we speak."

[6]"If, for example, your dear human ever harms you...I've programmed them to multiply and consume. A virus. She will Rot, but, but, but, they will keep her mind, and her nociceptors, intact. "

Basils lips twist into a frown, and his eyes find Sloan's slumped body.

"But they can manipulate the mind as well. Use them to modify neurons in the brain. She will not be haunted by my visage as I erased those memories.  She will feel great fear and disgust at the thought of harming you. Because their minds are weak and easily manipulated, she will rationalize these thoughts. They are her own, after all."

"Are any immune?"

"Some. Those created in sterile environments or birthed in untouched worlds. Some who's minds are wired differently. And some with the Dust." She pauses, "The Empyre call them Ascended. They are weak. Copies of us with the meanest control of our gifts. The Empyror binds them with Codes, Taboo, and Amaranth. Self-destructive thought manipulation designed to keep them from reaching their full potential. However, the probability of these Ascended breaking their mental blocks is quite high as they mutate. We are likely observe it in the Oldest of their Lines."

"Now, my child, I am busy, and maintaining a physical form is taxing my patience. Do you have any other questions?"

Spoiler: Status (click to show/hide)

Basil the Plague Praetor
Terran Time: 43301/01/01 22:43
Personal Time: 21hrs

Active Dust: 3 × 10¹³ corpuscles
Active Processes:

• 2% The First Mask
• 68% Cohesion of Facsimile Organic Existence
• 10% Quantum Networking
• ̶͕͖̣̗̗͈̏∞̴̠̣̺͔̬̼̍̍̉̂̀̅̄̌̓͠͝% ERROR:DATA CORRUPTION

Willpower Level: 2(d10)

Spoiler: Objectives (click to show/hide)

Freedom

• The Galaxy beckons. New knowledge and interesting experiences await.

Knowledge

• The Behavior of the Third Children
• Seedships
• The Truth of the Ancient Twins, Earth and Mars

Strength

• Killing the Blighted Glass
• Mastering Your Skills

Spoiler: Powers (click to show/hide)

Max Willpower Range: 5m

Mimicry.: Instinctive (No Simple Roll)
-The First Mask: Novice (No Bonus, DC 10)
-Healing Factor: Instinctive (No Simple Roll)
Control: Instinctive (No Simple Roll)
-Voice of the King: Beginner (No Bonus, DC 15)
Amalgamation: Beginner (No Bonus, DC 15)
Synthesis : Beginner (No Bonus, DC 15)
Rot: Untrained (No Bonus, DC 15)
Instant Quantum Networking : Instinctive  (No Simple roll)
Divine Conscious: Untrained (No Bonus, DC 15)
Unified Field Manipulation: Untrained (No Bonus, DC 15)

Spoiler: Inventory (click to show/hide)

Lower Body:A torn silky, black cloth

Spoiler: Bonds (click to show/hide)

The Devoured Sun

• A Plague Entity. Brought about the Galaxy's First Night.
• Hereditary grandparent
• Deceased(?)

The Blighted Glass

• A Plague Entity of immense power.
• Hereditary parent
• Contactable through Quantum Networking.

Sloan

• Homo Fundamentum Female
• Your saved her life. (++Opinion)
• Contactable through Verbal Communication.
• The thought of harming you causes her immense fear and disgust.
• If she harms you, she will be infected by a Targeted Rot.

<< <>

[King Zultan]

Sounds like it might be time to finish up the questions and leave, maybe after that we should explore this ship thing we find ourselves on.

[Superdorf]

Well done.
Forgive our outburst—we are numerous, and not always in agreement.

"Blighted Glass" is right in this: the Ascendancy is ever-bound by Empyreal code.
These binds are a protection, for an Ascended's humanity.
These binds are a protection, for those subject to an Ascended.
An Ascended loosed to their violence is no better than a [beast].

...it is not right, to use direct control save in great need.
Control strips away the free-thinking mind. Control is an affront to life.

You, βασιλίσκος, are free of all direct binds: this is a boon, and a peril.
The Empyre cannot claim your loyalty. You will judge it on your own terms.
The Empyre cannot restrain your baser impulses. You will learn to do so yourself.

[ZBridges]

I believe that there is nothing inherently unethical about casting off these chains, but it is true that doing so can change the Ascended in strange and undesirable ways. For this reason, it is only done when it is absolutely necessary. Fortunately (or unfortunately), you don't have to worry about that, Basil. With that being said, however, I won't push you to do anything that you're uncomfortable with, or anything that may harm you.

In case we want to try out our abilities: "Where can I go on this ship to practice my powers?"

[BlackPaladin99]

I believe that there is nothing inherently unethical about casting off these chains, but it is true that doing so can change the Ascended in strange and undesirable ways. For this reason, it is only done when it is absolutely necessary. Fortunately (or unfortunately), you don't have to worry about that, Basil. With that being said, however, I won't push you to do anything that you're uncomfortable with, or anything that may harm you.

In case we want to try out our abilities: "Where can I go on this ship to practice my powers?"

We want to try out our abilities

[S1lentWanderer]

In case we want to try out our abilities: "Where can I go on this ship to practice my powers?"

+1

Little King, it is time for you to stretch out your power. Learn your strengths, understand your limitations.
You carry with you the Strength of the Sapiens. Learn how to wield it well.
All I ask is that you test your powers respectfully. Life is precious, after all.
In addition, if you can, learn how to veil your power, that you may walk undetected amongst your fellow Children of Earth.

[19_EgarAlnis]

"Where may I practice my powers?" Basil questions as he turns to collect his fallen friend.

"It will be arranged." The Blighted Glass evaporates her horrific, humanoid form to return to the ship. Amalgamating into the creaking metal and shuddering ivy. The Throne of Human Bones, however, remains, stained with her black footprints. So it is material, and not a construct of her mind. Basil shudders, leaning down and heaving the snoring Sloan over his shoulder. His arm twists free of the socket to secure her comfortably. The Perversion shudders back to life, and begins staggering back to Basil's temple-prison. With Sloan sleeping, and with the meta-human endurance of the Plague beings, the trip doesn't take as long--

[17]Its changed. The Path. Basil notices abruptly. The rooms he passed were different, but he enters from the same side of the Temple, but through a different hallway.It felt like a shorter route, as well-- but I saw no hallway from this side.

Putting the mystery from his mind, Basil surveys his temple. The corpses are gone, replaced instead by bags of rations. A set of roofed rooms,  ripped from another structure, has replaced an entire corner of the temple. Basil slides the door open, revealing a cloth slab of linen, a desk with a glassy rectangle upon it, all framed within off-white white, smooth walls. Another smaller room lays within, with frosted glass walls, a strange, hollow, white stone throne filled with water and a silver and plastic head that juts from the wall. The Plague Praetor doesn't understand much about any of them, but he understands that the linen slab is a human resting space. He drops Sloan into it and investigates the other room. It's a carbon copy -- except the linen slab that should be within is replaced with his black stone altar. A bracelet of gold sits upon Basil's slab.

This is mine.

Basil investigates the bracelet, and slips it on over his wrist. There is a button upon it, but he doesn't press it. The glass rectangle has a button as well, but the child is careful, and only turns it over in his hands before leaving his slab-room. A hallway now leads out of the temple, through the ivy, and Basil makes his way down it.

Another ivy walled room lays at the end of it. A massive forest cathedral filled with great trees of grey wood and blood red leaves. It fades into fog far above and into the vast distance. Condensation drips from the unseen ceiling, settling down upon the columns of black stone that are scattered about. Growing from the black moss underfoot, silver ivy chokes the stone columns and ancient arches, crumbling them into dust.

"Beautiful, isn't it, my King?" A voice whispers within Basil's head. From the fog emerges another Plague creature. Three meters tall, it floats upon wings of black. Horns jut from its head, ringed with a nimbus of black fire. Its many mouths are bestial and filled with snapping teeth, but its trunk and body resemble that of a human's -- only overgrown and wrapped with thorny ivy that draws dripping blood.

"It is."

"I am the Herald of Stinging Ivy -- our great mother has assigned me to maintain this space and to direct your servants, until you can master them yourself."

"I understand."

The creature bows its head, a strange, human gesture from the entity. "These are your training grounds. I will repair whatever damage that may occur and contain any runaway reactions. Call my name if you wish for anything, master."

Basil doesn't thank the abomination, and it floats away into the fog.

Basil has no idea of human perceptions, and his only human is fast asleep. Veiling his Will to their perception isn't understood.

Spoiler: Status (click to show/hide)

Basil the Plague Praetor
Terran Time: 43301/01/02 01:25
Personal Time: 1 day, ~1hr,

Active Dust: 3 × 10¹³ corpuscles
Active Processes:

• 2% The First Mask
• 68% Cohesion of Facsimile Organic Existence
• 10% Quantum Networking
• ̶͕͖̣̗̗͈̏∞̴̠̣̺͔̬̼̍̍̉̂̀̅̄̌̓͠͝% ERROR:DATA CORRUPTION

Willpower Level: 2(d10)

Spoiler: Objectives (click to show/hide)

Freedom

• The Galaxy beckons. New knowledge and interesting experiences await.

Knowledge

• The Behavior of the Third Children
• Seedships
• The Truth of the Ancient Twins, Earth and Mars

Strength

• Killing the Blighted Glass
• Mastering Your Skills
• Learn to Veil your Power.

Spoiler: Powers (click to show/hide)

Max Willpower Range: 5m

Mimicry.: Instinctive (No Simple Roll)
-The First Mask: Novice (No Bonus, DC 10)
-Healing Factor: Instinctive (No Simple Roll)
Control: Instinctive (No Simple Roll)
-Voice of the King: Beginner (No Bonus, DC 15)
Amalgamation: Beginner (No Bonus, DC 15)
Synthesis : Beginner (No Bonus, DC 15)
Rot: Untrained (No Bonus, DC 16)
Instant Quantum Networking : Instinctive  (No Simple roll)
Divine Conscious: Untrained (No Bonus, DC 15)
Unified Field Manipulation : Untrained (No Bonus, DC 15)

Spoiler: Inventory (click to show/hide)

Lower Body:A torn silky, black cloth
Right Wrist, Only Right Arm: A gold bracelet.

Spoiler: Bonds (click to show/hide)

The Devoured Sun

• A Plague Entity. Brought about the Galaxy's First Night.
• Hereditary grandparent of Basil
• Deceased(?)

The Blighted Glass

• A Plague Entity of immense power.
• Hereditary parent of Basil
• Contactable through Quantum Networking.

Sloan

• Homo Fundamentum Female
• Basil saved her life. (++Opinion)
• Contactable through Verbal Communication.
• The thought of harming Basil causes her immense fear and disgust.
• If she harms Basil, she will be infected by a Targeted Rot.

The Herald of Stinging Ivy

• Plague Herald Null
• Basil's Chief Temple Administrator.
• Contactable through Quantum Networking.
• Responsible for the upkeep of Basil's Temple Complex, the ordering of lesser Plague Servants, and the protection of the grounds.

The Perversion.

• A Plague Drudge
• One of Basil's Lictors.
• Contactable through Quantum Networking.
• Dedicated to the protection of Basil.

<< <>

[Eschar]

Can our Plague control attempt to discover the size and structure of this Plague vessel?

Try to experiment with "unified field manipulation" as well.

((No description for "Synthesis"?

"Voice of the King"? A jab at Phoebe's "Voice of the Queen", perhaps.))

[19_EgarAlnis]

((Fixed all descs. I think. Thank you.))

[Superdorf]

First, there is the nuclear bond.
Second, there is electromagnetic interaction.
Third, there is atomic decay.
Last, there is gravitational attraction.

You possess direct control over each of these. Flight, fusion, fission, light: these may all be yours.

A polymer tent, pitched under a sparse-glimmering sky— dim, wide-scattered stars, the hallmark of a rimward world. The trappings of sleep, and quiet words between warlord and lieutenant: grim tactics give way to more pensive things, hope and despair and thoughts of home. A daughter is mentioned, an eager child; a historian-physicist in training, with her partial translations of long-buried textbooks.

The sun rises red over the horizon, close and dim. Lord and lieutenant prepare themselves for the morning: a latrine is dug, used, buried. Having spent a little still-water for the rinsing of hands and faces, the two break camp to join the assembled ranks.

Spoiler: ...erm (click to show/hide)

Lemme know if I overstep with backstory stuff. I can always edit over things.

[ZBridges]

Please be careful and avoid pushing yourself too hard. Try changing your form to give yourself natural weapons.