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[forsaken1111]

Do you hear that mortal? The child-gods claim you, as though you were some tool to be used and then discarded.

The figures turn, as one, towards the one who spoke.

You presume to command us? Attempt to enforce your demand, and you shall taste real power.

The room feels alive with energy suddenly, a feeling like static electricity and a faint smell of ozone. The shadows around the gaunts deepen and swirl. The light in the room dims further.

[ed boy]

While not acting, Frandor and Chara observed. Astra'ath had many minions, and much time was spent observing them. Given the sheer numbers, only a few could be observed at any instant, but the ones being observed cycled quickly. A gathering of them was noteworthy enough on its own, but the added presence of the god Mania made it a lot more interesting. The settlement was odd too, far more advanced than the typical one of this planet. They observed for a while, and when the gaunts started to act in a threatening manner, it was deemed to be time to act.

There was a flash of light in the room, and Frandor appeared. Its surface was a shining blue, and the light it emitted was bright, banishing nearby shadows. The normally smooth sphere distorted, and many writhing protrusions emerged. They lashed out at the surrounding gaunts, tearing through the ghostly flesh with ease.

[Karnewarrior]

"Oh, look. Frandor's here."

[forsaken1111]

The Eye of Terror turned, and its gaze swept over the room as Frandor appeared. A beam of crimson light shone through earth, stone and flesh and the room was bathed in red.

The gaunts dispersed, but Frandor's light was muted and laughter filled the sky.

The eye begins to approach, growing larger in the heavens, and bolts of power crackled along its corona.

Astra'ath is coming.

[ed boy]

The eye was not the only celestial body to move. On the other side of the universe, Chara began to approach.

When the light cleared, the gaunts were gone, and so was Frandor. The attention of Astra'ath was not something that Frandor relished.

Frandor did leave something behind, though. A shard of red metal, three times as tall as a man, was lodged in the ground, forcing its way through the ceiling.

[dragnar]

Dragnar senses the gathering of gods from his home in the library and sighs in annoyance. He gestures at the temple to Gheronaton on the map of the universe, expending some of his power to drive the gods out and send a message to all within the temple.

"Please, there is no reason for all this. This mortal barely knows of a few of us and you expect him to speak with so many of you at once? It is a wonder the man's mind has not snapped already. Out, all of you! And as for you Nemani, if you wish to learn more about the gods in less... overwhelming circumstances, find The Fortress(a picture accompanying the name) and enter the portal at the end. There are usually many traps, but for the moment they have been disabled."

Dragnar shields Nemani from the other gods, driving them out of the temple so that he has a chance to collect his thoughts.

[Karnewarrior]

Mania lands back in bed in the bone room, sound asleep. Nothing appears to have changed but the expressions on the faces of his two demigods.

[Acanthus117]

The black wasp fizzles out of existence with a quiet pop.

[ragnarok97071]

Having decided he has given the Chained One sufficient time to mull his offer over, Tarn returns to his planet, and seeks an audience.

[Digital Hellhound]

Niande felt herself pushed out of the wall; Dragnar. She staggered backwards back into the village. What had happened had been... interesting, to say atleast.
She would have to talk with this... Nemani, and find out what he thought about these events. But it was not time yet. Dragnar was still guarding him.

The Muse sank inside the ground, and began to wait.

[Lordinquisitor]

On Incendium Gheronaton sat in Judgment, accompanied by his firstborn.

He was seething with anger, and Incendium reflected his wrath. A thunderstorm was raging right over the Refugium and watchers from other worlds could see that incendium shone brighter than usual.

On his burning throne of fire Gheronaton sat and listened to the tidings and the counsel of his firstborn.
The avengers had told him everything that happened- The invitation, the discussion, the slaying.

"They were his guests, and he killed them. He didn`t even lift a finger, but ordered his servants to kill them." Insisted one of his firstborn.

"He slew cowards, and united the tribes with his bold act. Also, he did slay one." Argued another, and Gheronaton knew that he was playing the devil's advocate for the sake of argument.

"He defended himself and killed someone in the process. Even great cowards will often protect themselves, at least." The first one said again.

"But he`s spreading the word of Gheronaton. He converted many and is about to convert many more." A third one mused.

Gheronaton raised his hand, and both thunder and discussion ended suddenly. When Gheronaton spoke the world was silent.

"I heard your counsel, my sons, and i made up my mind. He honors the laws of war, yet dishonors the laws of honor. He soils my name, yet forces many to believe in me. I hear several worshippers of me lament their fate, for he makes them their slaves. Subjugated chiefs seek a way to overthrow him. A fertile ground for bloodshed. He planted the seed of war and now he shall have a suitable harvest."

Gheronaton stood up. And gestured at his second in command. "You have your orders."
 
A few moments later Gheronaton appeared on aether, searching for luna. "Luna, my sister, my ally. You might have noticed that a certain priest dishonored the laws of honor. He isn`t my servant, for he`s a heathen, yet he converted many and made them believe in me. For this i intend to judge him less harsh than i would otherwise do. So i ask bluntly, do i have your leave to lead the subjugated chiefs in rebellion against the tyrant? No external troops, no world destroying calamities." Gheronaton said this words to no one in particular, for he feeled that the world was sentient and listening.

[Iituem]

Eventually, Tasset stopped shivering and managed to uncurl.  He still felt a little unhinged, but the world was starting to make sense again.  He forced himself into a sitting position and saw Nemani sat on a chair, studying the corpses on the floor.

"What happened, holiness?" Tasset asked.

"A visitation by the gods," said Nemani.  "It seems we are making enemies everywhere we turn, simply by existing.  Madness appeared, and you succumbed.  I'm not sure why I didn't, I think one of the others was protecting me.  Possibly Dragnar, the firstborn did say he was the god of Knowledge."  Nemani sniffed, wrinkling his nose.  "When we're done here, you'll probably want to change your trousers.  And have someone clean up the bodies."

You didn't exactly cope without help either, thought Tasset, spying the line of empty ale horns at the Tyrant's elbow, but he kept his peace on the matter.  "What did they want?" he asked.

"I'm not entirely clear on that.  The mad god seemed to want madness, I suppose.  Or maybe just honouring.  It's hard to say.  That's the one you saw and... passed out at.  After that one sent a harbinger, a thing of ghost and shadow like the spectres of ill dreams.  Perhaps the one that Knife fears, the god he refused to name.  Another was said to be here, a god bound in chains, but I did not see him.  Then a strange thing, a floating ball of blue steel that the mad god referred to as 'Frandor'.  The mad god referred to a god that ate the dead, Quoth, and then Dragnar - I assume it was Dragnar - forced them out and gave us a message to seek Him at a great fortress, built into a mountain by a valley in which the trees forever shed pink blossoms."

"But what did they want?" Tasset repeated.

"The feared one wanted us to stay away, It told me that we had allied with its enemy.  I would suppose that means Gheronaton fights against It.  It may well be the one that the firstborn said the gods are at war with.  As for the rest..."

Nemani rubbed his temples and closed his eyes.  Tasset had often noticed his master do such when trying to think.  He gave Nemani space and silence until the elf was ready.

"Give them stakes in the world," said Nemani slowly.  "Give them a reason not to move against us.  What do the gods want?  What did Gheronaton want?  Praise, worship, respect.  Is such a thing mutually exclusive?"

"Holiness?"  Tasset had lost the train of his master's thought.

"We are a temple, we aim to aid the worship of the gods.  Yet the gods themselves have revealed to me that the divinity of the worlds is more expansive than we had believed.  Let us honour them, then, if nothing else in the hope that they may stay their wrath long enough for us to prepare.  I want the new shrines to contain idols to the gods I have named;  The mad god, this Quoth of decay, the Chained god, Dragnar of knowledge, and Luna who created this world.  Continue to give Gheronaton the place of honour - we should not offend our patron further - but we should honour those gods I have named."

"What of the other one?" asked Tasset.  "The one you said Knife feared so much?"

"Not him.  If it is at war with our patron, I suspect that honouring it would bode very ill for us, one way or the other."  Tasset nodded in agreement - sending flowers to the enemy of your ally was likely a poor gesture at the best of times.

"What about the fortress?" Tasset asked.  "Will you go to the fortress of Dragnar and seek His counsel?"

"No."

"No, holiness?  Was he not the one responsible for the gift of steel?  For shielding you from the other gods?"

"Yes, and for that we must pay him honour, but the fact remains that I am now a tyrant.  A tyrant is a leader and a leader's job is to stay and look after his people, not to go out adventuring.  That, I will leave to you."

"You wish to send me in your place, holiness?"

"Not just you.  Knife also, and Urist.  I would say Ruk as well, shaky as his faith in me must now be, for he is sharper than he seems and can both read and write.  But I will not send any of you yet - we have a war to win."  Tasset thought about this for a moment.

"You do not believe the chiefs were sufficiently cowed by your threats?"

"I highly doubt it.  Really, I should have just killed every last one of them, but I am a fool and hope that mercy still has a place in the worlds.  Another order for you there - ensure the dead chiefs are disposed of... properly.  Bury the bodies, but make it known that they pass into the skies as heroes, as chiefs who led their people as well as they could."

"You said they had failed, holiness."

"And in many ways they did, but in some they succeeded.  Either way, those who lived will now rally many against us.  You must command our warriors and man the defences.  Our first task is to withstand the strike our former friends will make.  If and when we survive that, we begin laying down the law."

[Karnewarrior]

With a crack, a statue appeared on the table in front of Nemani. It was of a pyramid, one face on each side. One face was furious, it's expression contorted by rage. One was consumed by melancholy, stone tears leaking from it's eyes. The last was over-joyed, laughing and happy, celebrating something unknown. On the bottom was a single name, enscribed in the language of the gods:

Mania

[Iituem]

Tasset and Nemani both stared at the pyramid for a long time, then at each other.  Tasset eventually broke the silence.

"Well, that saves us hiring a sculptor."

[Blargityblarg]

A dragonfly the size of a man coalesces from the bluish smoke and steam filling the top half of the room. In a droning voice that sends Tasset most of the way back towards madness, it speaks.

They are Galt, and They are a God also. They only ask that you achieve the inevitable.

The dragonfly bursts into a hail of smaller bugs. The flies and ants among them head for the remains of the feast, and the bodies of the dead Chiefs. The wasps, hornets and bees have a brief but fierce war, leaving the wasps victorious. The mosquitoes all go for Tasset.