The Immortal Gathering (FFH DI 6)

[Ravus_Sol]

Don't worry about us gods - yet. The time to worry comes when the game starts and what we get up to

OOC:
Not spoilered because you're all welcome to see this. This is, of course, the obligatory Introduction to Camulos. As it suggests, I'm watching and waiting until civilization starts to reestablish itself. There may be conflicts, but nothing on the kind of scale that Camulos wants - yet.
The interest in Cassiel and his Amurites is just an incidental at this stage.

Spoiler OOC :

I shall take that as a sign everything is okay in this thread then and retire for awhile.
And technically the game has started I've made my opening post. Its up to the gods now.

 

[apenpaap]

Tali, god of Irresponsibility and Air

Tali's followers have many names. Some call them Foxmen, some Austrin, some Adventurers, some call them Bloody Fools. This is because they have no organised religion, no singular cult; worshipping Tali is something done on one's own. The worshippers of Air are fickle like the winds and don't like to be told what to do or think by others. Most of them aren't loyal even to Tali himself, frequently turning to worship other gods instead. While many gods would see this as severe blasphemy, Tali likes his followers this way.

Yet whatever you call them, the followers of Tali are easy to recognise, always trying to discover what's beyond the horizon. In many empires they end up causing trouble and breaking the law, as they dislike order and authority, and don't want to be ruled over by others. For many, even their god is no exception to this, and they tend to see him more as an ally and a friend than as their master. This disobedience is often considered a threat or a pest by many nations, and some empires persecute or hunt them.

But in Amurite lands, they are tolerated, and have been thriving partially thanks to Cassiel's teachings. Don Alejandro Salvador, holder of the Seat of Air on the Magic Council, is the closest thing to a leader they have. A man in his early fifties, yet physically fit from a lifetime of exploring the lands as the ice retracted. Sometimes he laments how little his fellow followers of Tali respect authority, as even he has little power over them, yet he also knows he would never have followed Tali himself if the god promoted obedience.

 

[axecack]

.....

 

[Ravus_Sol]

OOC:
Hi, just came here to say that we've been discussing a lot of things in the Hermetic Lore thread and that we aren't dead, just planning. Here's an updated list of the gods from the thread:

Spoiler :

Lugus - Angel of Light (Sun) - Selrahc
Sirona - Angel of Wisdom (Spirit) -
Nantosuelta - Angel of Faith (Enchantment)
Sucellus - Angel of Growth (Life) -
Amathaon - Angel of Fertility (Creation)
Junil - Angel of Justice (Law) -

Kilmorph - Angel of Responsibility (Earth) -
Oghma - Angel of Knowledge (Metamagic) -
Cernunnos- Angel of Gradual Change (Nature) -
Arawn - Angel of Death (Death) - LPlate
Dagda - Angel of Balance (Force) - axecack
Tali - Angel of Irresponsibility (Air) -apenpaap
Danalin - Angel of Serenity (Water) -

Camulos - Angel of War (Chaos) - Derf
Aeron - Angel of Hate (Body) - zbelg
Ceridwen - Angel of Stars (Dimensional) -
Mammon - Angel of Greed (Mind) -
Esus - Angel of Deception (Shadow) -
Mulcarn - Angel of Stasis (Ice) -
Agares - Angel of Despair (Entropy) -
Bhall - Angel of Passion (Fire) -

I'll do a formal introduction for my diety later, but for now here's some information for the thread!

Awesome! Updated the initial post with this list I will be taking the save exactly one week from today.

EDIT: I would really appreciate it if you gods could just post a base update with all the extra Civs removed so that any new gods can jump in. Or are you all discussing over which nations should stay in?

 

[apenpaap]

Nice weather we're having, isn't it?

 

[Derf]

You might want to spoiler that, apenpaap - I think you meant to put it into the Hermetic Lore thread.

 

[apenpaap]

Whoops thanks for alerting me.

 

[Ravus_Sol]

The Adventures of Salvador

The tales of Salvador are closer to the end of the Ice Age then most. Brother to Seraph, Salvador must have felt like he was competing for attention with his elder sibling.

Harnessing Thunder

Spoiler :

He fell in love as soon as he saw one.

The strength, the size, it was magnificent. The horns were stronger then any weapon man could forge naturally. When one strode the field they would be strong enough to flatten a whole army.

It was during his youth, when Seraph was starting to show the gifts of Kylorin. He had run away, too embaressed and upset that he couldn't manage to make anything happen. Salvador was a good boy who just wanted to please. He didn't want to disappoint his father.

After his escape, somehow managing to get covered in mud as all little boys do, he had found the new camp-site looked after by the younger hunters.

Caerbulin was getting older at this point, weathered and scarred, skin nearly as leathery as the very beasts he brought back from the wild. Caerbulin had finally gotten enough mammoths to be able to start a breeding camp. At that point the Amurite people were just hoping to be able use them for food. They were certainly large enough. Animal Husbandry is not an instant science, but an ongoing process. Much easier in shorter lived animals then the longer ones like Mammoths.

Salvador, by luck, or providence, or fate. Had managed to find the mammoth camps at the day of the first birth. While still young, he knew the facts of life. The messy bodily fluids and the loud heaving noises. But when all the work had been done and the new-born mammoth raised itself on shaky legs... Even less then a day old and it already looked stronger then most men.

The small boy was hesitant in his approach, the small beast was more timid then you would assume.

It was sundown when his father found him. Playing with the Mammoth, scrambling all over it.

"What are you doing?" Came the cold demand from behind the boy.

His father towers over him. Still and stern. The words come tumbling out.

"Sorry. But look. Aren't they wonderful? Can I keep him. He'd be so useful. You'd enjoy having one right? We could keep him in the backyard. I could teach him tricks and-"

"You cannot have one." Kylorin states. Unmoving. "They are food. You ate one of them yesterday and you will eat another today and the day after. You will be quiet and come with me or I will punish you."

Father grabs his tiny hand, strong enough that it hurts. Stern enough that Salvador is scared at his own helplessness. But even while he is being dragged away he finds it in him to argue.

"But Father please! He's so strong! I could train him, please father, I could have him haul things around, I could have him attack other animals! He could carry food! He could carry ME!"

Kylorin pauses, shoulders relaxing, becomes less cold then before, yet when his eyes meet Salvadors his son still flinches. Kylorin holds his gaze for a long moment before turning to stare at the Mammoth beasts.

"In olden times," he states slowly, "we used to have people called riders. They rode the air, or seas, or land. Using either animals or machines of their own design. In my youth I rode an animal called a horse."

Salvador holds his tiny breath in hope. He had risked punishment for this, but he wanted it so badly and the words Father used were new and exciting.

"Very well." Kylorin decided. "You will keep this one with you. You will care for it, clean it, attempt to train it and one day you will try to ride it. But child, if you cannot tame it well enough for it to learn how to carry and obey you, then I will put the spear in your hand and have you kill it yourself."

The horrifying image of blood and guts flashes through his mind just once before Salvador is agreeing. Bounding with joy and latching onto his new friend.

It was decades later that Salavdor, the Mammoth rider proved his worth. When the Frost Giants found them it was only Salvador who could meet them as an equal in size and strength. Sat atop Thunder, his named Mammoth, Salvador could look the Frost Giants dead in the eye before commanding his steed to skewer them.

He never did learn magic.

Riding the Waves

Spoiler :

The world was too cold for life. The living could not protect anything in winter. But the dead could.

It had been something his brother had always been saying. With that calm certainity that older siblings must just have. Salvador had hated it when he was younger, but now he just pitied it. A life full of certainties was a life without mystery, without adventure.

Thunder, his trained Mammoth crushed another one of the dead beneath its foot. The Ice cracked around the hoof, but it held. It had been a risk bringing The Mammoth this far to the north onto the vast ice sheets that remained of the coastline.

Caerbulin clung to the side of the saddle, shielding his eyes from the snow. He was old now, so old that people were amazed he was still alive. Amazed more that he was still their Hunter and Ranger. Those who had not believed that Caerbulin was gifted were silenced now. No old man should be able to survive the icy wastes. No matter how good a hunter. And yet, rabbits would appear from the snow and show Caerbulin where green food was hiding. Hawks would drop from the sky and offer part of their meal. Bears would lumber into their path and smash a hold in the ice and offer water. It was lunacy. Yet when Salvador had asked Caerbulin; "why he didn't just use whatever magic it was, to make the animals stay still so they could kill them for food?" He had recieved a look from the Hunter that implied that Salvador was the insane one. The only response he had gotten was; "It doesn't work that way."

"I think we are nearly there." Spoke the potentially insane man in question, voice slightly shaky.

"Can't believe you got this far through all these dead by yourself! There must be hundreds!" Salavador said back, raised voice fighting to be heard over the wind. "You shouldn't look so worried. Don't you trust old Thunder?"

Salavdor patted his friends flank and the Mammoth gave a mighty trumpet that has Caerbulin smiling.

"No, of course I trust him, he is very strong and very loyal to you." Caerbulin winced at another loud crack. "It is the Ice itself that I do not trust."

"No other way." Said Salvador. He was right too. No army of sufficient size would have been able to make it through the ice storms that could then battle through the legions of dead that seemed to roam the ice sheets. The idea to take a Mammoth onto the sheets to wade through was insanely risky. Salvador had come up with it. Thunder was the largest Mammoth as well. But that merely made it more fun, and it was no ones business but his anyway. No one but his, and his fathers. Salvador could recall when his Fathers eyes went cold, going to that place where he weighed up the risk, juggled life and death in his head.

It was only in those moment that he truly felt connected to his father. The great father of them all. When the risks were high but the task still needed to be done, Kylorin would nod and then scan the room, looking through all his children to find the one that could accomplish the impossible.

Looking for Salvador. The son with no magic, yet more luck and spirit then any man. The rest of them could keep their magic. THIS moment, moments like this, when each step and breath could be your last and you were truly alive, they were a power beyond magic.

"There!" Yelled Caerbulin, pulling the younger man out of his thoughts. "You can see it there on the horizon, through the mists!"

Salvador squinted, but he did not have Caerbulin's eyes, had to wait, wait long enough that the anticipation was exquisite. When the shade of of the horizon separated from the blue of cloth it was nearly unnoticeable. The came the thin hint of the mast and the long curve of the bow.

The boat. Such a strange word that their father had used. A galleon ship. A device built by man that would let people cross the ocean.

Ride the waves.

Salvador laughed. It was going to be his. Even if he had to trample a thousand dead back into the Ice. He had Ridden the earth, he would ride the waves and then, one day, if he was lucky, he would ride the air.

 

[Ravus_Sol]

You might want to spoiler that, apenpaap - I think you meant to put it into the Hermetic Lore thread.

Spoiler ooc :

Whoops. Good catch Derf. Thankfully I missed it, was writing the bit for the name sake of house Salvador.

Seeing as you lot are still plotting I wanted to write something now that Apenpaap had set the scene with the current Salavador head, who looks like he will be quite interesting. As it is true, Amurite lands under Cassiel WOULD be good for adventurers like that.

I like the look of the God line-up. Lots of normally lesser used gods so I'm hoping for some fun surprises.

 

[Ravus_Sol]

The Tales of Caerbulin

Spoiler :

“My father found an island where there was no winter, where the ground burns as if on fire.”

Some elders believed the boy, most didn’t and laughed to themselves at his stories. Kylorin was familiar with these sorts of tales, every clan had a myth of a paradise that wasn’travaged by blizzards. A confused memory of a former age, or hope for the next one.

“And your father,” Kylorin asked, “where is he now?”

The laughing stopped, once the village had believed Caerbulin’s father and they had paid for their false hope.

“He tried to lead a group of men back to it, they didn’t return.”

In another time Kylorin may have been more gentle. But this age didn’t reward gentlespirits and he needed strength, not dreams. Kylorin leaned close so only the boy could hearhim.

“Your father was either a fool or a liar. There is no paradise, at least not while the white hand survives.”

Kylorin’s attempt to limit the conversation was useless. No one except Caerbulin heard what he said, but the word’s effect on the boy were dramatic enough that everyone under-stood their meaning.

Caerbulin ran out of the council chamber.

As the elders restarted their debate, Tyris whispered to Kylorin: “The boy will be fine, he is strong and will become stronger if he gives up these tales. His father’s death weighs on him.”

Before Kylorin could answer Caerbulin came back into the chamber, dropping skins atKylorin’s feet.

The elders had all seen the skins before. They were very different than the animals they knew but after losing the hunting party they decided that they were just strange skins, not evidence of any burning island.

Kylorin picked up the skins and looked them over carefully.

“Do you know what they are?” Caerbulin asked, “Do you recognize the wolf skin withthe short black hair?”

“Yes, it is from a panther, a hunter that dwells in trees and leaps down on its victims.”

“And the length of cracked skin?”

Kylorin stretched the skin out across his lap. “This is from a snake, a creature without arms or legs. They cannot survive in the cold.”

Caerbulin grinned as Kylorin handed the skins back to him.

“Forgive my doubt, your father found exactly what he described. I had thought these species extinct. It is good to know that there is a place that the white hand cannot reach. Because of your faith in your father we may find a place the storms do not touch.”

 

[Ravus_Sol]

The Romance of Epona

Endless Love

Spoiler :

“Why did you come to us?”

Kylorin pulled the blankets more closely around them. He was patient to her endless questions.

“To reforge the Godslayer, to end the white hand, you know my purpose.”

“No,” Epona wondered if other new brides spent their first night asking questions, “Why us, why start with our clan? There are a dozen clans nearby, some with up to 30 people, ours is no different.”

Kylorin smiled, “That is simple. I came for you.”

Epona laughed, simultaneously unbelieving and pleased with his response. Kylorin continued his explanation.

“When I first spoke in front of your people I described a world the rest of your clan could barely imagine, vast cities, lawful government, professional traders and craftsman. Aland with placid oceans and plentiful orchards, that sustained life instead of threatening it. You alone believed me. Later, when I told you details of this forgotten age, you could imag-ine the cobblestone streets, the sentry towers and children’s classrooms. These words rang trueto your ears, these visions came easily to your mind because you have seen them before. You have lived in that age.”

That night as they slept she dreamt of her life in a palace, garbed in exquisite gownsand jewelry and attended to by courtiers. Kylorin was in her dreams, unchanged in appear-ance but somehow younger and less wise. Her dreams showed her many lives. In one she wasa farmer’s wife when Kylorin had come to treat her and her newborn daughter after a diffi-cult birth. He had been a cobbler once. She was his wife and mother of a large family. In onelife they had just shared a carriage ride, talking as strangers.

In the morning she asked him if everyone is reborn when they die.

“No. You are eternally of this world and will never pass from it, no death or sorcery will break that cycle. And as long as you stay, I will fight to stay with you.”

“When I die, if I am reborn elsewhere, will you leave here to find me?”

“No. This war must be fought, and it may take generations. You are bound to this world and it is being destroyed. To protect you, to give peace to your lives to come I have to shatter Letum Frigus. There may be generations, entire lives where we don’t see each other. You willtake other husbands because you forget, I will take other wives because the bloodline thatI carry must pass on. If there is to be another age after this one, mankind will need it to re-build.”

Epona thought about it, tried to imagine everything he was telling her.

“I was a queen.”

Kylorin smirked, “You still are.”

 

[Ravus_Sol]

The Legend of Belenus

Spoiler :

The Departure

Spoiler :

The clash of sword and axe echoed through the field. Seterim fell back, giving way to the younger man’s powerful swings.

“Is rule of our tribe worth more than my life?”

Lugh came on again, pleased to see his opponent was starting to shows signs of ex-haustion. His axe was again blocked by the sword, each time with a bit less resistance.

“The tribe needs the strongest and you are weak.”

“I am your brother.” Seterim answered, blocking another strike. Lugh’s swings were wide and strong, but they left him exposed to attack by the faster sword. On another man Seterim would have struck back, slicing through his opponent’s shoulder, side or neck but he found himself unable to do so against his younger brother.

“Yes, and your time has passed. There is no loyalty in allowing you to soften us, untilour enemies kill us all. Better that you die here and we live on without you.”

At that Seterim struck back, slamming the flat of his swords blade against Lugh’s headand sending him rolling into the snow. Lugh was quick to regain his feet, axe ready for another attack. But Seterim only sheathed his sword.

“If you truly believe that then take the tribe and kill me.”

Lugh approached, wary of some sort of trick. He placed his axe blade on Seterim’s throat.

“I will take the tribe,” Lugh began, “and allow you to live apart from us. Do not return to the lands of the Doviello. My brother died here, if I meet you again, you will be killed as an outsider.”

The Arrival

Spoiler :

He would have been killed, but he already looked dead. He was obviously Doviello, covered in the hides of various animals and stood nearly a foot taller than any of the Amurites. He lumbered through the fortifications, ignored warnings and would have been shot down there had Kylorin not raised a hand to stop the archers.

He had been attacked by something in the wild, but those weren't the wounds that were killing him. Far more fierce is the cold and even his thick furs couldn't protect him from it. He moved as one whose extremities were eaten by frostbite.

He fell before Kylorin. Looking up he seemed at once relieved to have made it and distraught that this was so much less than he imagined.

"I am Seterim, once a clan lord and champion among the Doviello. But I have abandoned them, come to offer my strength to you, to rage against the White Hand instead of merely living off of their scraps. I have seen enough of winter and death, and heard the stories you tell of a time before the storms. I wish to fight for a return to that time."

At this Seterim sobbed openly.

"But I have nothing to give, I have already failed. The blizzards set upon me, stole the strength that I meant to give to you. Mulcarn punishes those that betray him and in my hubris I somehow believed I was different."

Kylorin listened to the man's tale. He was a good father to the Amurites, but more calculating than compassionate at moments like these. He didn't offer the broken man comfort or empty consolation, only a question.

"How did you survive the blizzards at all?"

Seterim thought. The past few days had become clouded in his memory, the desire to reach Kylorin was his only consistent thought. Then he held out his hand and opened it to reveal fingers that were untouched by frostbite and a glowing red crystal inside.

"I found this in the wastes, it is warm and held the chill away enough to keep me alive. Will it help you? I gladly offer it to you if it would help."

Seterim was excited by the thought of his trip, his sacrifice, somehow being of use. That he hadn't forfeited his life for nothing.

Kylorin took the crystal and turned it over in his hand.

"It's a mana crystal. Long ago thick veins of these were changed by mages into various forms. This used to be a part of a fire node, probably shattered by the fall of the Queen of Fire. Yes, this will be very useful. But useful to you and not me."

At that Kylorin chanted, it was obvious to everyone that he was not of this age. He was tall and regal among men who were little more than savages, sharp of mind and body where humanity had fallen lax. The Amurites would have worshipped him as a god had he allowed it. He seemed capable of things they didn't even understand.

At his words the crystal floated and burst into flames. The crystal darkened until it seemed the dark center of the fire writhed within it. Long asleep the crystal looked like a beast once beautiful, now fallen to ruin. The beast twitched and screamed, sending the crystal shooting out of Kylorin's control and into the snow.

No one was more terrified by the sight than Seterim. Kylorin went over and picked up crystal, it had reverted to its red form but the fire remained around it. He then walked back to Seterim.

"Give me your sword."

Seterim did so without question. Kylorin spoke a prayer to Nantosuelta and the crystal melted into the hilt of Seterim's sword. For a second the sword itself seemed to burn, and then it cooled back to it original form.

"Keep this crystal with you and it will give you strength in battle and empower you against the enemies arrayed against us. The life that you knew is over. Seterim died on those frozen wastes. You are Belenus now. Rest here and you will grow strong. Your strength will be needed soon."

With that Kylorin gave him the imbued sword and Belenus was born.

The Guardian

Spoiler :

When the Amurites started to march out of their warm basin, it was with Belenus at the front of an Army. Whatever doubts the others may have had were kept silent. Their Father had said Seterim had died in the wastes, their fathers word was law, their adopted brother was one of them and he proved it in every battle, in every fight. Flaming swords cut down the Doveillo without hesitation. Every charge, he was there. Every battle, he was on the front lines.

If the Amurites were proud of their adopted brother, then he was prouder still to call them family. This was what Belenus had wanted, strength of arms and strength of purpose combined. Unity of spirit.

 

[Ravus_Sol]

Spoiler OOC :

Right, that's the lore for the three heroes from the Age of Ice. Now you will know what I was basing them off. They are the real heroes from the prequel and the lore is from the Civopedia. (Except for the extra bit I added for Belenus). I have put them all together here and will link to the individual posts in the "History - Age of Ice" section on the first page of the thread.

Salvador and Seraph were my original creations. I waited until someone fleshed out Salvadors descendants before writing his history and will probably do the same with Seraph. I don't want to step on the Gods toes too much, especially when it looks like you are being all creative on the other forum.

 

[Bad Player]

I'll take Mammon please!

 

[Ravus_Sol]

I'll take Mammon please!

Done!

PS: I think we need more good gods

 

[Lplate]

I'll do DEATH.

I'll get something up on Samein Seraph over the week-end. I may have to edit it later to introduce more of the council but it should give you an indication of where the Seraph are coming from.

 

[Ravus_Sol]

I'll do DEATH.

I'll get something up on Samein Seraph over the week-end. I may have to edit it later to introduce more of the council but it should give you an indication of where the Seraph are coming from.

I said Good Gods! Not Death Gods!

But anyway, axecack posted that you would be taking Arawn, so you've been added! I look forward to what you will do with him.

 

[zbelg]

Aeron doesn't feel quite fleshed out to me, and my plans for what to do with him seem to overlap with the precepts of other gods. I may switch to a good god to balance things out. I'll decide on Monday.

 

[Ravus_Sol]

Aeron doesn't feel quite fleshed out to me, and my plans for what to do with him seem to overlap with the precepts of other gods. I may switch to a good god to balance things out. I'll decide on Monday.

Spoiler ooc :

Yes in terms of personality he doesn't have much development. The most going for him is his entombed Archangel (captured by the god of Earth) and the Vampires (which are always fun, but can be used by other gods too.)

If you wish to change to something else feel free to Another good God would be nice for balance but don't feel forced if you want to be evil!

 

[Selrahc]

Lugus-God of Sun and Illumination

When Bhall fell, no one was more disturbed than Lugus. His religion, the Empyrean is named for the cult that once followed the angel of passion, and many of his angels were once the scions of Bhall. He has committed himself time and time again to redeeming that which Bhall has tainted. To repurposing her works to the noble purpose she once fulfilled.

With the end of the age of ice Lugus can begin his work once more. With the end of the age of Stasis, perhaps time is ripe for change. And where once a goddess fell from heaven perhaps something new can rise.

Lugus has a faith in the rightness of the universe, and a belief that things will come to a proper place with a little help. To that end, he mainly limits his interventions to gifts of knowledge and aid. Dreams and foreshadowings. The cult of the Empyrean is his primary arm in Erebus, but anybody who works with the sphere of Sun may gain access to the dreams and prophecies he provides.

Within Amurite lands the Empyrean has yet to lay its mark, but their knowledge of Sun provides them a connection to the god. The council member for sun, Landre Osh, is almost entirely ruled by his dreams. An ancient member, who has been applying his prophecies to the aid of the Amurites since the time of Kylorin.