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[Egan_BW]

Osella raises a hand from off in the distance. I just wanna explore dark regions, can we be cool?

"Considering the fact that you've allied yourself with the... being, which admitted to wanting to claim Eastern Mesortia fully for your pantheon, I believe we still have an issue. Eastern Mesortia isn't my home, but surely you can see why I'd hate allowing anyone to set such a precedent."

[Glass]

I also repeatedly told them it was a terrible idea. And look! It wasn’t attempted!

[Roboson]

The World

Crucia
Tracharus the Remorseless Ruin, raised their talons high into the sky, drawing forth flame, stone, and glorious power into a single point until they became one and the same. With a mighty blow, Tracharus struck the flaming sphere and sent it screaming across the sky, hurtling towards the ground beyond the bounds of Western Mesortia. There it struck the earth! The land itself let out a terrible roar as the sphere dug into the flesh of the earth, shaking the world and raising flaming peaks of black stone in a ring around the point of impact with several other shorter peaks scattered across the region. Tracharus's Crucible, or Crucia as the region would later be called, was a land of obsidian and fire. From the ring of jagged peaks, lava flowed in rivers, flowing over uneven terrain to form lakes and lavafalls, often disappearing into crevasses to return to the earth from whence it flowed.

A short while later, a shimmering portal appeared over the region and from it a massive amount of ocean water was added to the region, filling the Crucible until the salty sea water flowed over the edge and down into Western Mesortia. The hot lava was met with frigid water and a secondary eruption of steam wracked the region once more. Rivers of lava abruptly freeze into jagged twisting veins of obsidian and wide lava flats, dotted by small volcanoes, quickly glass over as the harden into flat mirrored sheets.

In the blink of an eye, from a god's perspective, the water had mostly evaporated, leaving behind a sea of brine in the basin of Crucia, a puddle in comparison to massive amounts of water that filled the region only moments before. While in the peaks and crevices of the region, the water could evaporate leaving behind salt deposits, here the boiling waters concentrated the salt and mix with volcanic minerals to create a bright red brine sea. The boiling point of the brine is quite high, but various now underwater volcanoes cause intermittent columns of caustic and sulfurous bubbles to erupt from deep below the surface. Some of the larger volcanoes around the center region break through the surface, creating an archipelago, while the edges of the lake reach nearly to the outer ring of volcanoes, which now flow down to meet the brine sea upon it's obsidian shores. Hotsprings are somewhat common in these upper regions where water was caught, but did not instantly boil away. Something slithered into the world.

Life here is exceptionally sparse. While the waters of Sheawesh once contained a multitude of species, most were vaporized in an explosion of steam. Those that were unlucky enough to survive the initial devastation slowly boiled to death or became desiccated in waters far saltier than they could survive in. What remains are the heartiest, or perhaps unluckiest, species. Small colonies of slimy wrinkled sea grapes survive in sheltered tide pools, near indistinguishable from the obsidian rubble in texture, color, and flavor. Tiny red cubecrabs hide in crag and crevice, subsisting on what meager micro-organisms manage to cling to life and on the carcasses of doomed wandering insects or rock frogs native to the rainforests of Western Mesortia.
Something hid from the gods.
Western Mesortia
Just to the east of Crucia, Western Mesortia underwent a magnificent transformation. Where once the high peaks gave way to beguiling highland moss plains, now a tangled temperate rainforest of ironwood trees dominates the many valleys of the region. Their thick canopy traps in heat and humidity, causing the temperature beneath their impressive crowns to be much warmer than the frigid air above. Here among the leaves the glaciers melt, leaving behind clear cold mountain lakes, to which snowmelt and dewy rivulets feed. Eels and icefish can be found in these icy waters, cruising among lazy ice flows. Among the leaves of the surrounding forest, one can find a plethora of life that has grown accustomed to this wet cold land. Mosses and lichen cling to branch and stone alike, while beetles, fungi and salamanders lay claim to the rich leaf litter among the roots. Yet still the forests were not all encompassing, and especially high valleys were ruled still by the moss and lichen. There the hearty mountain gecko hunts wily rock frogs across mossy plains and upon sheer rock cliffs.

This montane region flourishes in Spring, giving rise to a vast number of possibilities. From the west, a small flood of seawater spilled into the region, and while it did mildly affect soil and water conditions for a time, there were no long lasting consequences on the fertility of the region. However, several hitch-hiking species did come to call the region home. Tiny red cube crabs and hearty acorn-hermits quickly came to live among the damp leaf litter, skittering across dead leaf and branch as they cower from the native predators. Spring caused a notable species to appear: the lantern berry bush. It grew deep black berries surrounded by a thin woody cage. In summer, the berries will ripen and begin to glow with shades of orange and red, illuminating the undergrowth in a spectacular display. In addition, perhaps due wholly to spring, or perhaps as a bi-product of so much glory going into the creation of the dragons, a giant salamander has appeared. Its skin was a deep rich brown on top, with it’s underbelly being a creamy white. It has several catfish like feelers beneath its squinting eyes, which ultimately gave it a wizened look. A unique creature, Salagon, come to call Western Mesortia home. Salagon is a powerful nature spirit. It is slow and lumbering, it slumbers in mountain lakes and is rarely seen by any but the gods and a few lucky dragons. It moves from lake to lake in the night, bringing with it heavy rains so that it may travel across the land.

Eastern Mesortia
Of all the regions to undergo a biome change this season, Eastern Mesortia was certainly the most dramatic. The four gods of the Starlight Odyssey Pantheon empowered Laurel to fill the land with power, and the result was spectacular. Eastern Mesortia became charged with incredible amounts of elemental magic. Depending on a multitude of factors, the line between the elements begin to blur. Rivers of stone occasionally flow uphill, collecting into temporary mountains, only to later evaporate into rising sands that drift off into the sky. Cool blue fire condenses across the land like a morning fog. Lightning lays still, resting like stones upon the ground. Occurrences such as these are fairly commonplace, while more powerful flux storms occasionally cause upheaval across the region during summer and winter.

Massive outcroppings of mana stone crystallize within the region. The seemingly endless plains now littered with huge manastone crystals, ranging in size from small stones, to imposing formations the size of hills. These semi-transparent minerals serve as a natural foci for the exceptionally high levels of ambient mana in the region. With each divine cycle, the dominant mana of the region shifts, causing widespread changes in the region to reflect the prevailing mana. The powerful magics ingrained into the region mainly manifest in elemental magics, the raw forces of nature bent to reflect the shifting power of the biome.

As the land shifts, so does the wildlife of the region.

Firewood trees begin to crop up in dry areas. Their char black bark and withered appearance gives off the impression that this tree has already burned. Yet if one were to touch it, one could feel heat radiating off the apparently dead bark. If one were cut past the bark, you would find bright red wood and incredibly hot sap inside.

In wetter areas, giant Stormworts grow in loose clusters. These huge glass sponges suck up water around their base, occasionally releasing the water in the form of a powerful localized storm complete with gale force winds, torrential rains, and dangerous lightning.

Through these are far from the only tree species, they are among the most notable. Trees such as the crying cashew, thornleaf, and pink burr trees all can be found in small groves around watersources, while the less common skydrum, earthpalm, and plainswhisper can be found in more solitary locations across the plains.
The world remembers a time before the gods. A grove of Eltrian Trees appears somewhere.
Across the plains, several grass species begin to dominate. The main species, prism grass, is mainly transparent, bending light as it passes through the plant. While at rest, very little refraction occurs, causing the plains to appear as though they’re covered in a sea of crystal. However this is rarely the case, as winds nearly constantly blow across this land. As it does, it pushes the grass in waves, sending waves of blue, then yellow, and finally red as the the prism glass bends and returns to its upright position. These rainbow waves are a marvel to behold.In areas of especially high wind, mainly closer to Western Mesortia, Staticord grows in abundance. These hairy grains produce large amounts of static electricity, which can become quite dangerous for local wildlife.

Although quite rare, elemelons can be found growing randomly throughout the region. Caused by the natural confluence of elemental energy, these rare fruits are not so much grown as made. Charged with one element, these potent fruits are both wonderful and unpredictable.

More commonly, one will find wetnut bushes growing near streams, or spicy black charrots growing just beneath the ground. Other less fantastical forage-ables can be found as well, such as glint berries, spidersprouts, and the common rock banana. And where the elemental powers waned, one could find more mundane grasses, such as dewoat, emberwort, and tallleaf, and pink mist, goldgrain, and black flax.

Feeding on these various wild plants, are two species of herbivores. The first is the large elemelephant. These voracious herbivores migrate throughout Eastern Mesortia, feeding on the various leaves and branches of the local trees. Generally light pink, olive green or brownish, they have tough skin to protect them from the various brambles of their desired foods, and sport a ridge of boney plates along their back, leading down to a powerful clubbed tail charged with earthen elemental magics. The second notable herbivore species is the welk. Though more common among the western foothills, this solitary species is one to avoid. They have brown and black stripes across their shaggy bodies, and boast large antlers. The welk is always accompanied by ominous clouds. Lightning regularly strikes the beast, attracted to it’s branching antlers. This does not seem to bother the creature, through it is when it’s attention is turned towards any would be threats that one must worry. These ornery beasts will call down lightning upon any who manage to be unlucky enough to be spotted by the beasts. Smaller less notable herbivores include prairie shrimp, giant water snails, sail quails, and moatgoats. Unremarkable omnivores include sizzlesnakes, hackoons, and of course, bears. Yet of all the creatures in Mesortia, one predator is perhaps the most dangerous, the refractlion. This reptilian predator boasts many feline attributes, most notably, their impressive affinity for stealth. This is partially due to their retractable hooked talons and padded digits, allowing them to not only climb vertical surfaces with ease, but also move almost silently across uneven terrain. Though their most impressive trick comes with their shiny bent scales. Using special muscles beneath the skin, they can adjust the shape of these scales along their body, which changes the way light bounces off the scales, and ultimately, the color of this stealthy predator. Many a poor creature has been mesmerized by the rainbow effect of the prism grass, only noticing one particular patch has teeth far too late. A later addition is the holy rabbit, which adapted poorly the chaotic environment. While quite capable of killing smaller or mid-sized prey, their natural bloodlust caused them to often pick fights with much larger animals, while simultaneously being a good food source for stealthy ambush predators. Despite this, their swift reproduction and natural suicidal tenacity allowed them to carve out a niche in these chaotic lands.

Though beings of flesh and blood are not the only dangers here. Elemental spirits of various strengths and powers occasionally manifest in the area. These manifestations are incredibly dangerous and both represent and wield the wild nature of this land. 

Nequam Petram
Located to the north of Western Mesortia, Nequam Petram was a desolate region. An empty vacant land amid a sea of nothingness, Nequam Petram was composed of several large floating islands with sheer drops into an unimaginably deep void. Created at approximately the same time as Crucia, a decent quantity of sea water spilled into the southern regions of Nequam Petram, but disappeared deep into the gloom beneath this land.

At first, it was as it’s creator intended, an utter wasteland. A harsh place. But in time, life found its way here. Either from the flying creatures of Western Mesortia, or carried upon the high winds blowing down from the mountaintops, plants began to appear. Lichens sprung up across Nequam Petram, the god forsaken stone rejecting all else. Each patch of blue-green, a heinous haven for life, a crime against the intent of this land. Yet these footholds remained, for now at least, and gave purchase to more invaders. Beetles and moths, whether fleeing the predators of Western Mesortia, or simply by chance, sought refuge here, cowering in cracks across the barren surface, scurrying out to devour whatever flecks of green they could find.

Spring came to sweep across the land, and pulled the region from its dark path. With little else daring to enter this place, all of Spring’s energy flowed into the few lichens which had anchored themselves here. Swelling to incredible size, they diversified into half a dozen forms. Bulbous grey-green growths, wrinkled and dense, grew to the size of boulders, each year a new layer cementing over the last. These grew voluminous and dense in time. Around them, yellow basket-like lichen shrubs with hard bony branches took hold. Some grew into leathery red and brown flaps which became plump and thick in the wet air. Pink and blue fan-like lichens on long strong stalks came to grow on the shaded sides of the boulder-lichen where the sun had been lost to every increasing mass. They reached out beyond the shade, catching what light they could as they strained against the wind. These came to also grow into the sides of the floating islands, along with a variety of giant plate-like lichens with the color and texture of drywall. And among these, smaller less notable types manifested in a wide variety of shapes and colors, filling in whatever space they could among the larger species.

Yet this Lichen Reef was far from the norm. The land was not intended for life, named as such by its creator. And such as it was across most of the islands, which remained as desolate as they had before being visited by spring.


Joyous Savanna
The latecomer, Basetera, wasted no time in creating a region during the excess of power that was Spring. North of Eastern Mesortia, they created the Joyous Savanna. The wide expansive plains of Eastern Mesortia seemed to stop abruptly where the two regions met. For a time, the boundary was as distinct and stark as night and day, a clear line where dark dry soil met the shimmering sea of prism grass.

Yet in time, this line began to blur. Shimmer grass did not fair well save for very close to the border, where some amount of elemental energies could spill over into the land. However, more mundane grasses found this region much more survivable than the constantly shifting landscape of Eastern Mesortia. Emberwort, and tallleaf, and pink mist, goldgrain, and black flax soon spread across the region, pushed ever northward by the power of spring. In a relatively short time, this arid region had come to be half covered in these hardy grasses, with the northern reaches yet uncolonized by the spreading savanna.

After which, animals soon came to follow, though lacking in diversity. Only prairie shrimp, sail quails, and sizzlesnakes came to call this land home.

Near the end of the season, the Spotted One was placed within the shifting sea of dry yellows, ember orange, and fluffy wispy pinks. This powerful hunter laid claim to the land, claiming dominion over all grasslands north of the last blade of prism grass as it’s rightful land.

[Roboson]

Culture

Iseleti Wellguards
Spring was a season of upheaval for the Iseleti. For nearly a generation, they had lived in complete peace with the outside world. Their world was quiet, only the sounds of the wind and the rain and their own little noises echoed out across a vast and empty world. Now existence was deafening, their world thrown into disarray as the lands melted into water and the skies rained fire across the earth.

The Iseleti had come to experience the artistry of the gods and were horrified! Beyond the tranquil glade surrounding the Well of Dreams the once dead lands now filled themselves with unimaginable danger.  Huge monsters roamed the lands, tearing at leaf and branch and bush, their powerful trunks reaching high into the canopy. They would regularly visit the Well of Dreams to drink from its depths and devour whatever food they could. Unfortunately for the Iseleti, they fell distinctly within that category. Their green flesh and sweet babies were a nourishing meal for the famished wandering hordes of elemelephants drawn in by their sweet smelling flowers.

Even more horrifying, just prior to the End of Peace, a number of Iseleti were visited by a being called “Osella Hrydragyr,” though in time the name became twisted in the common vernacular into Osellahyr, a cursed name spit out with hatred. Claiming to be the creator of the Iseleti, they led but a fraction of the Iselti to salvation and forsook all those who remained to this hell.

Some attempted to flee these lands, but few were very successful. Storms of fire would sweep across the sky, devouring the Iseleti’s flesh and turning them to ash. One group died in their sleep when the ground beneath them became like water, causing them to sink beneath the earth. Another smaller group failed to escape when the air became like the ground, solid and impossible, trapping them like flies in amber hundreds of feet above the ground. And that does not even account for those picked off by elemental spirits, hackoons, spontaneous combustion, wandering dragons, or bears.

Though, some did indeed flee these chaotic lands. Over several scores of Iseleti journeyed west to the montane rainforests upon the slopes of Western Mesortia. Here they found a strange world which was warm and dry near the foothills, but as one ascended the region grew colder and wetter, the grass giving way to a forested paradise, which ultimately gave way to high altitude valleys of moss, lichen, and mountain lakes. There in the lower echelons of the forests they sought refuge from the ever changing world of Eastern Mesortia.
 
Those that did stay were mainly naturalists, though some stubborn primists would not abandon the lands they saw as rightfully theirs. One such Iseleti, a primist during the age of peace, quickly came into power. Numenflos, as they came to be known, was a charismatic leader. While many cursed the name Osellahyr, Numenflos spoke of a being called Laurel, who had plunged the world into chaos along with several others. Laurel and the other gods had inspired Numenflos, and he would lead the remaining iseleti through this time of strife. While at first the Iseleti hated Numenflos, in time they were persuaded, or fled for safer lands. Under Numenflos They became organized, disciplined, and moved as one with a purpose: defend their home. At first, the defense was hopeless, elemelephants would wander into the area and drink from the Well of Dreams, devouring all edible life in the area (and any iseleti who ventured near the waters). Yet in time, the iseleti stumbled across a powerful relic, a blue crystal which whispered knowledge they could not hear. It spoke of a being called “Ohwon” which knew how to tend the lands and the trees. The naturalists came to revere the stone, and the mysteries it contained. It’s secrets were often hard to understand, delivered slowly though occasional words, numbers and fleeting images. These visions were not restricted to Numenflos, as many naturalists came to worship around the stone. The visions came to become religious in nature, but most importantly, one such vision showed a mesh of branches surrounding glint berry plants, with hungry moatgoats trapped beyond. The Iseleti had finally received their salvation! In the coming months, they moved with a fervor, plunging heavy branches into the ground, uprooting and replanting saplings, and weaving whatever plants they could into a living wall around their homeland. While imperfect, and still only a mild deterrent to elemelephants, they had gained something more important than safety: hope.


Iseleti Explorers
From the perspective of the Iseleti, the touch of their god was nirvana. Their shriveled stomachs which had for so long cried out for food which rarely came, grew full and fat with the glorious vines of light that descended from the heavens. Osella Hrydragyr had selected her chosen few, and it was not the naturalists or the primists that were holy in the eyes of god. In that instant, the quarrels of their starving past seemed so insignificant. Unburdened by their petty squabbles over meager nuts and berries, the Iseleti found new solidarity among their fellow chosen ones. They looked at their brothers and sisters, who did not feel the glory of Osella Hrydragyr and pitied their lowly existence. As the shackles of their past fell away, so too did their ties to their unchosen friends and family who were both not worthy enough to receive this blessing, but also could not understand how small their own existence was. In mere days, the one hundred chosen left, few bothering to give terse or even ambivalent goodbyes.

The sweet song of adventure called to them! A heavenly purpose to accompany their newfound vitality and glorious view of a world free of strife over scraps. That siren song pulled them east by northeast, until they found it’s majestic origin, a strange being unlike any they had seen before, Malbazaro! Master of Potent Plants, Herbs, Snuffs And Stuffs, This wingless thing had neither leaves nor flowers, and could go long periods without needing to drink from the skylantern, even moreso than the blessed chosen. He possessed both strength and knowledge like the Isleti had never experienced, and spoke in an odd, but somehow disarming manner. But most importantly, he radiated adventure. He spoke of distant lands beyond the skies, trees and shrubs and plants that inspired wonder and joy in the Iseleti.

They adventured northeast, west from what would now be the the Joyous Savanna, just as the first blades of grass began colonizing the region. Westward, they found a coast. The borders of Eastern Mesortia seemed to expand to encompass this area, the rolling plains seemed to have always existed here, just unknown to gods and the world itself. The elemental expanse flowing into the shallow waters around the yellow sand beach and the smell of salt became heavy on a westernly wind. But this was not their destination, instead, Malbazaro urged them onwards over the open sea, the power of their blessing refreshing them each day, they carried on through the nights. After several days, they reached their destination, a shattered jungle region surrounded by a shallow sea. A single volcano rose up from the center of the region, and the thick tangle of the jungle smelled of danger and discovery.

Malbazaro and the Iseleti spent several months exploring the jungle here in search of interesting plants. It seems the region was once much higher up, and that a vast majority of it had sunk beneath the seas. Stone ruins of an ancient civilization are not uncommon here, though crumbled and ancient, pillars and foundations can be found in what can only be assumed to have been jungle cities, now lost to volcanic eruption, rising seas, encroaching jungles, and the ravages of time.

Still, the jungle itself was dangerous. Strange and territorial disc-like gelatinous creatures lived in colonies among the rocky cliffs. They floated through the air in swarms slowly, but could plummet from the sky with incredible speed towards their target. Eelamander packs also were quite dangerous, roaming the jungle in search of prey. Large reddish web-weaving millipedes spin near invisible traps among the trees. Angry gorillacrabs nearly killed Malbazaro on one occasion. But of all these dangers, the night-black serpents of this land, which are large enough to swallow Iseleti whole, are the most terrifying.

However, it was not the beasts of these lands that proved to be the most hostile, but instead, a minor god! Wruhul, was a wild god who was not at all happy to see intruders in their land. Malbazaro apparently was confronted by them at some point after the expedition’s arrival, and bartered for the safety of the expedition using some of the glory provided. Though he returned to the iseleti, the volcano in the center of the island seemed much more active after this encounter, often shaking the land and spewing smoke into the air.

Expediency became the focus, and in a few short weeks, the expedition returned with several tropical plants. Sweetvines were the first, a thick vine which grows well the jungle. It requires a lot of water, but is quite sweet. The iseleti would cut it into pieces and chew on it until the sweetness faded. Next is the jungle bean which grew large beanpods as long as an iselti arm. The pods contain starchy somewhat sour bitter beans. Next was the volcanic orchid, a rare plant, even in the jungle, which exhibited medicinal properties that might be useful in fighting some fevers. Yet these plants paled in comparison to the remaining two. The first was the biting squash, an animalistic plant that the iseleti had been delighted to discover. These lumpy gourd-like creatures were supported by woody legs, and according to Malbazaro were “hateful little monsters.” Allegedly, he had suffered more than one of their painful bites. The last was something he called the White Jewel. When he first brought it before the Starlight Odyssey, he did so in a reinforced glass case covered with a cloth. When he removed the cloth, it revealed a plant that was clearly magical. It was a single pure white sapling. It had no bark, it’s inner wood revealed, but had no grain whatsoever. It’s small branches seemed to reach towards Malbazaro as he moved about the plant. “Now what we have here is an especially unique specimen, the kind quality and like of which could have only been secured by a master flauralogist such as myself. This here, it’s a one of a kind. Doubt that Wruhul even knew it was still out there in those ruins, else he would have been more delicate with his islands. I can speculate as to the origins of such a creature, and I do mean creature, but its clear this plant is the handiwork of a higher power. And not a nice one at that! Now, I thought about leaving it behind, but as a certified snuffmaster and member of the arborer’s guild, it was my duty to reclaim this beaut. The long and short of it is, that thing’s got a real mean streak. Now, there’s no telling what it wants, but it’s magic enough to want something, and magic enough to kill for it. A lesser herbalist would have been eaten alive, metaphorically, pretty sure it doesn’t actually eat you when it kills you. Anyhow, that’s the long and short of it. I thank you for your patronage, make sure to tell your friends about my services, and I hope to see you all again real real soon.” Malbazaro then bowed dramatically and made his exit, leaving you with a collection of dozens of samples of each plant, and the White Jewel.

This of course left the Starlight Odyssey with nearly one hundred iseleti who were radically different in opinion than their fellows. They did not care for Laurel or Ohwon, and still looked down upon their kin who had not been chosen, despite the blessing of their god beginning to fade. They had seen the world and the bounds of the Well of Dreams and the local politics were pointless to them now. They lived separately from the other iseleti, who they now referred to demeaningly as unleti, and it seems quite likely that they will leave again in the near future in search of a better place to live.


The Dragons
A while after the region’s biome stabilized, Vahrani created the first race of greater mortals: the Dragons. These giant creatures were reptilian in nature, having powerful muscular limbs and massive wings. Each one sported shimmering scales which caught and reflected light for some time. This gave them a glittering effect that was pretty on its own, but majestic and awe-inspiring when thousands of them joined together to form a near impenetrable armor across the massive body of these beasts. These original dragons all possessed blue iridescent scales, though some sported rings of golden yellow scales around their necks, like necklaces of fine jewelry. Others possessed accents of reds, greens, blacks, silver, and other colors, but each was ordained with the same blue as their creator.

It took little time for them to take to the sky and the resulting effect was breathtaking. Around two hundred dragons flooded the air over Western Mesortia. Each soared and swirled and flew through the air, tasting the sky for the first time. Soon they began to roar and spew lightning in exhilaration as the flew over their domain. The resulting electricity charged the area and gave rise to a massive thunderstorm which drenched the lands. The dragons reveled in the thunder and lightning, flying in and out of the dark clouds as they roared. This massive event was visible to some mortals, specifically the iseleti refugees and some oppe'un and would later enter myth as the Dragon Storm.

Soon the dragons returned to the land, some hunting for small game such as the giant moths, and bad-winged salamanders. Others hunted horned mountain geckos among the peaks. Some even took to fishing in mountain lakes, patiently sitting along lake beds until an eel drew too close. It was here that some encountered the Salagon. For all the pride the dragons possessed, they dared not contest the beast of the lakes.

Some dragons traveled east into Eastern Mesortia, and found a land that was both treacherous and rewarding. Elemelphants made for a challenging hunt, their larger size, tusks and bony ridges offering protection against both dragon tooth and claw, while their naturally high tolerance for elemental effects and rudimentary earth magic made for a good defense against their breath. This required a large amount of skill on the part of the dragon to make the kill, and elemelephant tusks and plates came to be the first treasures hoarded by the dragons.

Other prey was easier, the goat-like graal who travel in herds across the plains. They fought and struggled against the claws of the dragons as they were carried off to lairs across Western Mesortia, but could do nothing against the might of the dragons. Bears were slightly more dangerous, and best slain and eaten locally.

Ultimately this was a time of relative joy for the dragons, who lived mainly independent lives. Some more social members of the species would occasionally swim in mountain lakes or hunt together, but for the most part, the species had no reason to change much about their glorious existence.

The Graal
Born of by the sweat and frustration of Tharix, the Graal were a hearty stubborn race. They had come into existence in a land that unpredictable and wild, and if not for their tenacity, surely would have perished. Their lowerhalf, somewhat like a goat and somewhat like a horse, was well suited to roaming the plains of Western Mesortia. They often galloped through the prism grass, herding together to better defend against the dangers of this land. Of which, there were many. Many graal were lost simply to the nature of this place, but unlike the Iseleti, they did not know of the time before the gods. To them, this simply was the way the world was, there was no point in complaining about it and no sense in running from it. Nor did they find wonder in the less destructive shifting of the elements, for to them, it was quite normal for lakes to be as hard and solid as stone, or for fire to dance across the sky like lightning, or even for the earth to flow in rivers. This simply was how the world was.

Those that did not die to the shifting elements, had more pressing issues to deal with. They were not alone on these plains, and vigilance was necessary ere the refractlions grow hungry. Their natural stubbornness and strength led them to often stand their ground against these foes, banding together for safety and strength. As such, they became a more communal people, their existence and safety dependant on the horns to either side.

Yet this did little against their ultimate foes, the dragons. The Graal had not existed long before the first dragons descended from the mountains in hunting trips. These massive beasts the size of elemelephants were unperturbed by the powerful headbutts of the Graal, which could often break the bones of bears and refractlions and even gave smaller elemelephants pause, though the latter rarely came into conflict with the Graal.

As a culture, they came to hate the wretched sky beasts which would snatch up their loved ones and carry them beyond the horizon to the west.

Yet despite all their strife, a rudimentary culture began to develop. They were a resilient culture, who saw no point in complaining. They were direct, forceful and clear both in their words, but also their actions. Males and females alike would often spar to determine who would be guards, and who would gather food as they roamed across the plains. They developed a certain amount of organization, despite having no clear leader. Each graal knew their place, for they had earned it in a contest of strength and will. The strong would encircle the many, and the many would work for the betterment of all. It was a simple system, one that fit the stubborn folk well.

They had few interactions with other mortal races. They would occasionally spot iseleti flying through the air, but were not welcome in their sacred forest, which seemed to be of particular interest to the elemelephants. This suited the graal fine, they had no special respect for trees and cared only if they contained fruits or nuts within reach. 

On several occasions however, they did come into conflict with elementals. Often in areas around the massive crystals which dotted the land, they would encounter living beings of stone or fire or water. These beings were not like the beasts of flesh, or the skybeasts. They did not hunger, and their presence signaled that the area they were in was particularly unstable. While direct fights were uncommon, they did occur when the elementals were either unnoticed by the Graal or manifested nearby. In time, they came to recognize them as omens and steered the herd far clear, which generally led to less deaths to various kinds of elemental chaos. 


Holy Rabbits
These were the first monsters created by the gods. Unlike the pliable souls of mortals, the souls of these bunnies were dark and malicious. And this shown through in their behavior. They were voracious, supernaturally hungry, and surprisingly good at murder for a being of their size. Speed was their advantage, able to move swiftly and make tight turns, the holy rabbits were surprisingly dangerous.

When they first came into existence in the Paradisal Expanse, they were met with a land of plenty. Despite the low biodiversity, the area had had plenty of time to flourish without any animals to devour the plants. And thusly, the holy rabbits quickly ruined that. Their unnatural hunger pushing them to eat, then mate, then eat, then mate in an endless angry cycle. In what seemed like no time at all, they had multiplied in number into thousands. The Paradisal Expanse simply could not take this number of holy rabbits, and was completely devoured.

The Paradisal Expanse has been destroyed.

Once all the food was gone, the rabbits turned to the only food remaining in this area: eachother. The entire area was filled with a massive cycle of cannibalism and fornification. The rabbits would breed and eat at a pace that was sickening on many many levels. This took its toll on the species as natural selection happened at high speed, along with high levels of interbreeding. Bigger stronger rabbits could fend off smaller weaker rabbits, and thus bigger stronger rabbits lived longer to produce more big strong rabbits. Which in turn, then bred with big strong rabbits and ate weaker smaller rabbits. They began to suffer maladies as their genetic diversity dwindled and soon they had grown large, twisted, and stupid. Yet their malice and hunger remained, driving them ever forward. By the end of the season, those that had not fled the area had transformed into the twisted Fel Rabbits. Some of Spring’s energy had sunk into these rabbits, or perhaps it had slowly amassed in them via biomagnification. They had developed hunched forms with powerful front legs ending in sharp claws and now move in a loping giant akin to a gorilla. Their front teeth had now transformed into cleaving fangs, which were better at holding prey. They had lost their tails and their ears had shortened dramatically, becoming harder for rivals to damage. Riddled with imperfections, their bodies were often twisted or cancerous, but this did little to stop their unending hunger. Truly, they had become monsters.

Though, some holy rabbits did venture outward, drawn to the elemental plains that were developing in the region. Many many rabbits died in excruciating and interesting ways. Some plunged into the earth as the ground decided it was now like air, others found the air turning to water in their lungs, some burned alive as water began to eat as fire and the morning dew slowly consumed them. Of course other kinds of elemental manifestations occurred, many of which were wondrous and beautiful. The rabbits did not care. Few could survive here, their lives short and their lines only continued due to their rapid breeding.


The Mirkir
While much of Eastern Mesortia was now attempting to survive in an ever shifting land of elemental forces, the Crucible had its own unique flavor of extravagant death. The Mirkir were a race of white grubfolk, and were tossed wholesale into the Crucible as their ancestors had once been thrown into all manner of dangerous tasks. Though this fact was unknown to these particular Mirkir, they managed to impress even their ancestors. Their arrival occurred somewhere around the same time as the waters of Sheawesh, with many Mirkir watching in awe as the sky opened and waters poured from the heavens. A great number were swept into the rising waters, doing their best to swim to shore as the ocean grew higher and higher, and even more as the waters began to boil and evaporate. The vast majority made it to the shore, and hardly any boiled alive. This lead the majority of mirkir to end up on bowled volcanic shores, rather than upon the islands on the bowl’s bottom.

The bottom of the Crucible was a boiling salt lake which often produced a toxic yellow haze. The Mirkir that were unlucky enough to find themselves upon the volcanic islands quickly learned of it’s deadly nature and sought cover in magma tube caves and other cracks in the ground. Those who didn’t perished. Life on the islands was incredibly sparse and populations here quickly dwindled, save for one group who managed to survive due to the early discovery of a downwind facing cave high above the water level that also had a large pool of relatively non-toxic water. Here they subsisted off algal slop which grew in abundance in the salty water. It was not a particularly interesting or pleasant existence, but still, some managed to cling to life on this island.

The mirkir which found themselves upon the shores of the Crucible fared much much better. Here the acid fog was but a rare occurrence, and the number of pools and water reservoirs was much higher. In time, edible pools took on a blackish color as the sea grapes colored the water, clearly marking them as sources of food for the Mirkir to eat from. Fresh water was hard to come by, but occasional rains made their way over from Western Mesortia.

In contrast to the east, the Crucible was incredibly stable and predictable. Sure it was a wasteland of sulfur and obsidian surrounding a boiling lake of brine, but at least it stayed that way. Life quickly became a cycle of slop eating and rain drinking, with the rest of the Mirkir’s time being spent sheltering from the volcanic heat in whatever caves they could find. Dragons only occasionally flew over the area once they realized there were better hunting frounds to the east and that the caves here were naught but small lava tubes. Still, occasionally some did pass through in search of an easy meal. All and all, surprisingly survivable for a decent number of the grubfolk.

This gave the Mirkir a great amount of time to develop as a culture. They quickly took to long periods of rest, conserving as much energy as they could as they waited for the sea grapes to grow and the rains to come. Though when the rains do start to wash over the lands, an astonishing sight occurs across the region. If one were to look from above, as the gods do, they would see a completely barren land without a single mortal in sight. But once the rains appear, hundreds of white maggotmen swarm out of caves all across the land and begin slurping at rivulets and puddles until their bellies swell with size and the rains pass. Then just as quickly as they appeared, the region returns to utter stillness.

The rains ultimately came to hold religious significance for the Mirkir, who had been born among the great flood. They came to honor the sounds of thunder and the flash of lightning as heralds of life. They came to see young dragons as trickers, who would send lighting across the sky and trick the Mirkir out of their caves in search of rain.



The Oppe’un
The Oppe’un arrived in a strange world, though to them, it was the only world they had ever known, and thus entirely normal. But compared to the rest of the world it was a very strange land. They found themselves upon a barren worthless rock in a sea of nothingness that stretched far far down beyond the reaches of the greater sky orb.

The many islands, various in size and shape, drifted loosely across the nothingness. The pattern was chaotic, and from the perspective of the gods, quite interesting to watch. Islands would drift around slowly, occasionally bumping into each other, which would alter the paths of the two islands and change the steps of this incredibly slow dance. The largest islands hardly moved, while the smallest traveled quickly enough to be observable by mortal eyes.

It was the slow movement of the islands that allowed many Oppe’un to travel to Lichen Reefs. The race began scattered across the region, but as the lichen reefs were more common and larger in the south, they drew in more of the Oppe’un. Of course, hardship was common, and the deep pangs of hunger became well known to these many-eyed mortals. However, they persisted, subsisting upon various kinds of edible lichen.

Ultimately, it was a simple existence. Rains were occasional here, and less important than in the Crucible, since water could collect upon the various islands, rather than roll downhill into a dangerous brine. Much of the time of the Oppe’un was spent resting beneath lichen plates, their shade serving as one of the few escapes from the hot beating sun.

Dragons occasionally visited the area, and picked off many Oppe’un, instilling a fear and hatred for the monstrous creatures. This reinforced what the Oppe’un were already doing, which was mainly, waiting on lichen to grow and avoiding heatstroke in any shade they could find.

[Roboson]

The Binding of Life
While much of the world concerned itself with things like mortals, and regions. Dragons and adventures. One god looked deeper, turning their attention to the flow of mana that flows throughout the world. Mana in its ambient form is formless and without quality, and to impart quality and form to that mana, that is the basic of magic.

Yet, as the world was, there was no way to guide magic by mortal hands. Mira sought to rectify that and went about creating the first magical foundation. A magical foundation, like any foundation is meant to be built upon, but magical foundations are built into the metaphysical. It is a current in an ocean, a direction of the aimless, a channel forged by the gods so that mortals may come to guide mana through it, and in doing so, transform it into all kinds of phenomena.

Mirea though deeply upon the green places of the world, and wove a web of life. They built upon this, casting out a wide fine net so that their foundation could connect to all manner of life. Many many threads were anchored to the First Tree, a very powerful totem of life. Thus, their magical foundation was created, allowing one to attune to life and form deep magical connections to it. They named it in a strange and unwieldy language, Shosei no Shibari, or in plain terms, the Binding of First Life.


Grotal the Bog Titan
The veteran titan, Grotal, was an auspicious guest to allow into the world. Towering high above any beast, mortal, or dragon, Grotal was by far the most powerful being upon the face of the known world. He was skeletal, his once mighty flesh had mainly sloughed off due to the ravages of time. Still, his titanic strength allowed him to carry on. He moves ever forward, Death had long ago wrapped him its cold icy grip, clinging to him with all its might. He drags death, clinging and trailing behind him, unperturbed by its embrace.

He first arrived by the First Tree, this powerful font of life recoiling from the death that surrounded the titan. Grotal sat there against the Tree for a long time, looking out over the shimmering plains beyond the edge of the forest, his head far above the canopy. It was an impressive sight, even for the titan, an endless mesmerizing cascade of color and life. As he sat, the forest began to suffer, some parts dying and giving way to rot and decay. Water began to pool, going stagnant and brown. Beneath the drapewood trees, mushrooms of many kind began to appear. Simple and tiny at first, but then they grew more diverse, eating away at the death which now flowed into this place. In time, life regained balance, the rot devoured as it had devoured life. Such was the cycle of life.

In time, the giant stood, having regained much strength. His aura of death was now much less potent, having been chewed and nipped by fungal forces and forest magics. The First Tree had served as a conduit, passing life into Grotal as death flowed out. It was no cure, for there was no cure, but it was revitalizing. Though this had tired the Tree, it had earned Grotal’s favor. He drew his ax and with brutal speed and precision, carved a symbol into the side of the tree. The gashes bubbled with a sickening black ooze that dyed and cauterized the wounds, transforming into scars upon the tree. They formed a simple tribal symbol, something between and S and J with several intersecting lines. A strange power flared from the symbol, and then waned. Grotal nodded and then departed.

He made his way westward, his footsteps leaving impressive impressions where they trampled the prism grass. In time, a tribe of Graal came upon him. Stubborn and strong, they did not flee from the titan who’s head was held so high in the sky that they seemed to touch. Sunlight pierced though empty ribs and cast a shadow over the Graal, surrounding them as though they had already been eaten by this beast. But, it did not do so. Instead, it sat and spoke to the a while. The Graal were wary of this at first, standing far from the beast and shouting for it to depart, but Grotal did no such thing. In time, they approached and spoke with the beast. It was a tense conversation at first, but Grotal had grown patient over the eons. He learned from the Graal about this strange land where rivers of stone evaporated into clouds of fire and where lightning rained from the sky in wet little sparks. And these Graal also learned from him, of great battles. Of heroes and of monsters. Of the horrors and glory of war. They learned from him the power of blood and iron. He spent several weeks with them, and in that time these Graal began to change. They learned how to heft a spear, and how to fight. How to cling to life with such ferocity that they could roar in the face of death and send it cowering.

In time, he continued his journey, but the time spent with the titan would never fade from this tribe. They had changed on a fundamental level, not through his magic, but through his wisdom and guidance.

Continuing westward, Grotic entered Western Mesortia and came upon the Flats of Mauitu. He looked across the perfectly organized feature, it’s clear lines and impeccable symmetry. He snorted at the land of the one who had insulted him. “Vermin” He jeered, as he stepped up and onto the Foundational Flats, and began his trek across the area. As he did so, thick muddy black ooze began to well up from his footsteps, leaving a trail of rancid rotten muck as he walked. Worms and rats and roaches formed from within the ooze, and scurried across the once pristine land. He laughed into the sky as he continued onward, leaving his thick path of filth and muck to pollute the land.

Uphill he climbed, now firmly in dragon country. The dragons had seen him coming for weeks now, having spotted him on hunting trips to the low-lands. Many circled the titan, watching his path as he walked across the mountains. This fact was not lost on Grotic, but he had nothing to fear. Even in a thousand years, none of these hatchlings would be able to give him a true fight. But he smiled at the thought. In time, one or two came in close to investigate such a giant, pride and curiosity droving them forward. Perhaps in his younger years he would have smashed one or two for the spectacle, but their presence didn’t both him. Several came to rest upon his shoulders as he walked, swaying side to side as he passed through valley and over mountain peaks. He talked to them, telling them tales of the treasures of the earth. He spoke of gold, of silver and mythril. Gems and jewels and rarer treasures yet. The dragons listened, rapt with the sparkling visions he described.

But their walk together was short lived, for Salagon had come to block his path. Of all the creatures in the world, Salagon was perhaps the only who could defeat the titan. A heavy rain fell over the area around the spirit, wild clear waters flowing downhill and rushing over the titan’s feet which burned and crackled at the touch. Grotic was long past feeling pain, but not so far gone to understand the message. Grotic nodded, he had gotten his revenge and had no ill intent towards the land itself. Salagon seemed appeased by this, or at least, that seemed to be the case, for it slowly walked off, taking with it the rains and clouds that accompanied it. After the spirit had disappeared from view, Grotic continued on his journey, higher into the mountains.

Finally, he reached his destination, the Crucible. The hot air rising from the cauldron below shimmered and waved, mixing with the frigid air upon the peaks of Western Mesortia. Grotic slowly made his way down from the edge of the region, his footing was sure. With each step, Mirkir scurried from caves, either thinking they heard thunder or fleeing from the resulting shaking of the earth under the footfalls of the titan. Finally, the skeletal warrior reached their destination, the center of Crucia. There they slipped beneath the waters and leaned their back upon the shore. A hotspring of divine proportions, large enough for even a titan to swim in if he so desired.

Religion

(Touched on these throughout the post, will fill in and flesh out over the next day or two).

Events

Fewer petitioners arrived at the end of Spring, having heard word that Winter would hold a christening ceremony for the world. Still, some appeared.

The first was a great toad, which road a floating gemstone of marbled magenta and chartreuse. It’s skin was like basalt, black and gray, riddled with warty facets. It wore fine linens of silver and black and had many attendants which held up a dozen eyes for it to see through. They are proceeded by a bonified army of angels, many of which sounding heavenly horns and singing praise. Likely a minor power of some kind, but could potentially have some level of divinity. “Greetings, all heavenly host assembled herein, I am Theodus. I come to offer you my heralds for your upcoming galla. Their voices would ring out across the aether, announcing ceremonies and notable guests. Angelic in nature, they are worthy servants of the gods, and I have stock of many. Each one unique in timbre and construction, artfully prepared by holy heavenly smiths for such occasions. Such fine creations, each is available for six glory.”

The second petitioner is a minor-god. They are dressed in fine obsidian armor, ordained with rings of pure white metal. A mane of charged ions dance around their neck, creating weaving aroras which flow behind them as they walk. They have brown chestnut skin and have two sets of deep set carmine eyes. “Lords, I am Verhisir, a master of monsters. While most monsters are set upon the world by gods seeking destruction or glory, this is not their only source. Your world, as all worlds, dream of monsters. Things that lurk in beneath the subconscious of the realm. I seek to encourage their formation so that one day I might return and add one to my collection. I ask for no payment, simply to plant the seeds so that they might grow within your land.” Verhisir nods and then bows, sending waves of light scattering into the air above.

The final petitioner is a demi-god. Like many demi-gods, they have a mix of both mortal and divine blood. This one however has an unusually shaped soul, which has some uncommon ethereal veneer. “Divines, please call me Yreer. I am an oracle, seer of the future and a setter of the fates. I come to offer three prophecies, each of which will come to pass without fail. The first is for prosperity, for health and for fertility. The second, for war, for glory and for gold. The last is for a twist of fate, for a future undeserved. Each costs only three glory.”



Income:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Eastern Mesortia - 3 (Split according to contract)
Western Mesortia - 3 (+1 bonus) (Split according to contract)

Starlight Odyssey
Well of Dreams- 1
Elemental Chaos Biome - 1
Iseleti - 1
Graal - 1
Explored Dark Region - 2
Religious Events - 1

Ammu:
Nequam Petram - 2
Oppe’un - 1
Discovered Dark Region Location - 1

Vahranis
Hearthspire - 1
Dragons - 1

Ulkolac
Ulkolake -1
Biome Event -1

Mira
First Tree -1
Titan Event -1

Mauitu:
Flats - 1
Titan Event -1

Tracharus
Crucia - 2
Mirkir - 1
Religious Event -1
Titan Event -1

Deus
Paradisal Expanse - 1
Destruction of a Feature - 4

[crazyabe]

Once more Ammu Splits up to speak.
"Be ye gonne- we donna want ye products 'ere, and this Ammu sees no issue with telling one such as you to SCRAM."
"Multitudes by agreement, I/WE/THEY accept the seeds YOU/VERHISIR/TRADER seek to scatter within this world."
"I/WE/THEY see VALUE/WORTH/INTEREST within your THIRD prophecy, ACCEPTED."[-3 GLORY]

[Glass]

Osella, looking a little frazzled, appears by Yreer.
Hi, Yreer, yes! Right ah, two prophecies please! You still have two, right? The prosperity and war ones. Oh, and here, right!
Six motes of Glory are promptly fumbled out of the Aether and handed off.
Right, yes, thank you!

[Egan_BW]

Mauitu, unmoved by the vermin's display, sets to work. More work to do is not good or bad, it is simply an inevitability of life.

She kneels over the creeks of Western Mesortia and picks out the smoothest rocks and polishes them into colorful gems. One big one linked to one smaller one, with four dark disks set into it. Then more stones, carved thin by the flowing water, linked and chained together, all leading back to the smaller middle piece.
An abdomen, a head. Four round eyes, ten limbs which each end in two fingers, and a pair of sharp teeth.

Then she repeats, building a second right by the first. Once she's made eight she starts a second row, and repeats until she's made sixteen rows.

Use all 12 Glory in creation of Aeracho at Western Mesortia.

The Areacho are small mortals roughly the size of a particularly large spider, because that's what they are. Their exoskeletons are particularly smooth and streamlined, and for female Areacho is black and brown tiger stripes, ideal for hiding among the trees. Male Areacho on the other hand have brilliantly colored shells, particularly their abdomens which sport colorful patterns in cyan, orange, or red. Male Areacho who survive to adulthood wear these colors with pride, as they signify some ability in dodging hungry reptiles. Areacho hatch from eggs laid in clutches of about four, and the hatchlings stay their their mother for their first few moltings, riding on her back.

Areacho have eight legs and two pedipalps which are capable of fairly fine work, as befitting a mortal with the ability to think and adapt. Their bite is venomous, capable of subduing perhaps a single larger creature, and they can produce strong or sticky silk. However, they are physically weak, and their long legs are awkward for running, making them slow on the ground.

Areacho are carnivorous, hunting at night for fluttering moths beneath the ironwood canopy by weaving wide nets from their silk. Before the sun rises, they tear the web down, leaving no trace for hungry predators to follow. During the day, they prefer to find someplace hidden and safe to rest. Though in nature they can only eat meat, Areacho could theoretically eat certain vegetables if properly cooked.

Areacho aren't often driven to passion, for good or ill. Through they do like shiny and aesthetic things.

[Egan_BW]

She also looks for a dragon who seems to fall more hedonistic and less bold and suggest to them that it would be really cool to build a big fancy house so that they could store all of their shinies there and have lesser species as servants to look after their needs.

[Shadowclaw777]

Basetera licking its mummified paw, sees the minor-god Verhisir offer upon the world, as it was glancing to see if any spectacles have happened since its arrival, and the current rating is 6/10 for the amount of show that was provided for its viewing. The offer this god had would surely make the world have a bit more fun to it!

“Your offer Verhisir is an offer that I am just looking for, the land I currently have claim to is of that boring variety as of now, but you can make it much more entertaining for me to watch. My pet also needs new playthings to play with. I accept!"

Accept Vershirir’s offer to place the seeds onto the Joyous Savannah

Edit: Secondly, Basetera saw that the Eastern Mezortia region was just so interesting and wanted their pet to be apart of it!, it seems there’s a lot more interesting cuisine to exist in that region then the one in its current zone; and with a created catnip-scented bell Basetera rang it across the Spotted One’s ears and nose to know that it’s time for a hunting migration trip!, maybe a reduction in elemelephant and dragon populations across the area will make it safer for the plant-based Iseleti mortal? Who knows!

Have the Spotted One migrate to Eastern Mezortia to become the apex predator in the region. Establish itself among the mortal's folklores as a dominant ambush predator that plays with its food and one to be afraid of the night, you don't want to be cat food do you?

[Egan_BW]

...I'd also like some seeds. More to work with is always good.

Toss some rats and roaches into the monster pit, that should be good. Keep the worms and muck for later though really important!

[Maximum Spin]

With a nod, Ulkolac assents to the placement of monster seeds in his domain. He also passes 1 glory to Vahranis again.

[Leonardo8]

Tharix was returning to his long trip to the edge of the universe to calm his nerves. Not that Tharix was ever in a state that could be defined as "calm", but at least he wasn't furious anymore. And his short attention span was caught by something else anyway. There was a certain agitation at the edges of the Celestial Realm that could only mean one thing. New visitors.

As Tharix approached the new arrivals he heard a (rather stylish) minor god offer to bring monsters to this world. Tharix eyes lightened up with excitement. Monsters were the hosts of the most untamed passions and something this world was sorely lacking. Sure, the rabbit had a passion for eating, but they were also a bit...monothematic. Even their all consuming drive got boring to watch after a while. "I ACCEPT VERHISIR. BRING FORTH THE SEEDS OF YOUR MOST DREADFUL MONSTERS! OH, AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE WINTER FESTIVAL, TO CHECK THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR! He said with a flirtatious wink.

After that he turned to see how his children were doing. Just in time to see one of them getting snatched by a dragon and eaten in one big gulp " WHAT MADNESS IS THIS?!?!?!? WHY ARE MY BEAUTIFUL, PROUD GRAAL MADE NOTHING BUT HELPLESS PREY. OH, MY DEAR CHILDREN, FEAR NOT. I WILL HELP YOU WREAK HORRIBLE VENGEANCE ON THE UNHOLY LIZARDS!”    

And so Tharix descended from the heavens, in the form of a magnificent male Graal. His fur was the color of the sunset, his horns were thick and curved, and his arms strong enough to wrestle any mortal into submission. His vision was clouded in this form, because the mortal world was unsuited to the eyes of gods, but a flickering flame pushed him forward. It was the soul of Ragraaka, Chieftain of those Graal that met with the bog titan and learned the art of war.
As soon as he came within view of course all the tribe wanted to mate with him. He wrestled them down without even thinking, their forms pale and unsubstantial like ghosts in his clouded eyes. Only Ragraaka actually offered him a challenge. He could feel her strength, her passion, the potential for a connection with something greater. A potential that would be expressed in their child.

And as the connection between bodies and mind faded, one last message was transmitted to the entire tribe, clear as day. Spread the knowledge and passion for martial arts to the other Graal, so they could better defend against the perils of the world.

After he mated with her he knew he could not stay. Already he was growing tired of this confusing and unclear world. But he knew that his child would be in good hands. Laurel had promised it. And who would keep their word better than the God of Heroes?

Spend 3 glory on the Hero
Free influence: spread the knowledge of the art of war to other Graal

[Egan_BW]

"I must object to this development on ethical grounds."

[Knightwing64]

Deus smiles. “Destruction of a feature… gives quite a bit of glory, does it not?”

Deus allows the placing of monster seeds in any land he tangentially has control of.