first epoch Genesis of Creation

[Anthr4xus]

At the "center" of all existence, so much as such a place can be said to exist, the Great Forge of Creation generates universes and threads them into the Grand Tapestry of the Multiverses. These universes were expansive, full of Gods and rich with life and possibility, robust models of creation from the moment of their release from Forge. 

 

In the heart of the Forge lies a core of pure chaotic tumult.  From this churning mass of essential chaos generated the random possibilities and variations of the great completed universes.  What none of the Grand Deities that monitored the Great Forge realized was that the chaos at the heart of the Forge produced its own waste, flotsam of uncompleted or misshapen partial realities.  These came to rest in the infinite but empty spaces outside the Grand Tapestry.  Most of these contain so little possibility, so little of that initial seed of chaos that they will spend eternity, if not longer, as barely more than nothing at all.  But very rarely something.... interesting happens.  

 

In one of these wasted bubbles of what might have been there was a broken almost-planet.  Chunks of cold barren stone and dirt intermingled with massive spars of ice and flickers of elemental fire.  Even more surprisingly there was enough there for some minor deities to manifest.   Born into a parcel of possibility that was never supposed to exist in the first place, the story of how these new-born demigods grew their pittance shall be told, with all the glory due to the gods of nothing.

Edited February 10, 2023 by Anthr4xus (see edit history)

[Anthr4xus]

In the dark recesses of the remains of chaotic tumult, the silent scream of a hundred overlapping voices called itself into form and being.  The mass of muscle and viscera turned in on itself and created the senses to know the reality around it.  It knew that it should have a name and with less than a thought, created one for itself, Veshwoon.

 

Veshwoon looked about reality and was displeased with the emptiness.  In the voice of hundreds of yet to be formed things, into the void Veshwoon created great globules of gas, biolumenescent and vast but of simple mind and fearful of each other and what little else was in the space, so they fled through the void to the edges of space and began to assume a regular pattern of movement around the edges of space.  These Starkin took the place of the stars, only coming together once a epoch to mate in a vast swirl in the sky.

 

AP Spend

4AP - Create Mythic creature [Starkin] - Creation {Monsters}

 

Edited November 23, 2022 by Anthr4xus (see edit history)

[The Stranger]

  In the void of space between the broken chunks of barren stone and dirt there was a quiet whisper. 

---

"I am Iam."

---

As the cosmos was came into being, it began to reflect back at itself at a certain spot. This reflection was a physical representation of a new half-formed entity observing the universe around it. The reflection curved and took shape until a surface it formed a surface. That surface stretched and grew. Black color helped block out a more definitive form. This continued until Iam existed. A man with metal skin dressed in a black suit.

 

By the time he had formed, his feet had landed on one of the broken chunks of barren stone. For the first time, he took a careful inspection of the body he had created for himself. He tested himself and what he was capable of. He moved as fast as he could, quickly reaching the end of the broken chunk he had spawned on. He leaped off the edge, soaring through the space between until he landed on the next chunk of still rock.

 

He struck out at the empty void as hard as he could. Then pushed himself do so again, but harder. Then again, but faster. The next one was more concise, more efficient and effective.

 

Then he took a moment to stop and think. In an instant he created countless universes with literal endless worlds of possibilities in his mind. After another instant he challenged himself to create more within the same timeframe of that single instant. It was sufficient for now. A passing grade for a first attempt, capable of plenty, but there was still room for improvement. He wanted more. Better arms. Better hands, for example, but how could he install new hands if he removed his hands? The first thing he would do was create a tool to create with. A self-contained laboratory and workshop with all the tools needed to skillfully manipulate existence.

 

Thus, he created the Eternal Crucible. This adaptive, versatile tool took many forms, but its original resting state was that of a simple glass cube that hovered in the palm of Iam's hands. He held little back, infusing this tool with much of his energies during its creation. Satisfied with it, he then looked up to watch the creatures of luminous gas fled out into the far reaches of space. He calculated that most their flight paths all seemed to have a similar point of origin, somewhere among the shattered pieces of the planet. Curious, he decided to head his way towards where he thought they came from. He ran with great speed and leapt with great strength, carrying himself towards their point of origin to try and see what he might find there.

 

AP

Create Major Utility Artifact (5AP): Eternal Crucible [5AP towards Mind (Innovation)]

 

Divine Infusion of Major Utility Artifact (3AP): Eternal Crucible is upgraded to Utility Relic [3AP towards Mind (Innovation)]

 

Progress towards Mind (Innovation): 8/10AP 

 

 

[Kaiju Cuddlebug]

Takayaane's formation was slow, gradual, uneventful, and inevitable. Pure chaos has no will; there can't be an opposing force if there's no causality. As Takayaane describes it, their "birth" was the amalgamation of chaotic forces fatefully acting in just the right harmony all according to random chance. You get one aspect of Takayaane, then another aspect of Takayaane, over and over and over until a reality snowballs into a true form. One of those forms was Takayaane. Not by Takayaane's will, but by chance.

 

From this, it follows that if existence reverted back to chaos again, there's no guarantees over what might spawn. And for better or worse, Takayaane immediately took a liking to existence. Being a god — no, being conscious — it just feels good. Well, usually. Sometimes. Point being, feeling good exists as a concept at all, and the odds of any concept spewing forth out of pure chaos twice is literally infinitely small. Thus leads to Takayaane's first Will:

---

"Consciousness must go on."

---

This Will is the start of Takayaane. Everything of Takayaane, from their power to true form, flows from this Will. And from this Will does Takayaane finally truly exist, spawned into being atop a particular large chunk of rock.

 

The rush of godly power hits Takayaane. It feels limitless. Takayaane, in that culminating moment, can't fathom anything as impossible. This can't be right, Takayaane thinks to themselves. So a test is in order.

 

Takayaane pictures a creature in their mind's eye. Something that could enjoy life. Not numb to the world or unfeeling to its troubles, but able to cherish and savor the simple things. Warmth. Food. Water. Air. Togetherness.

 

Takayaane secretes a drop of opaque venom from their claw. The venom lands on the ground, congeals, and solidifies into clutch of tiny eggs no larger than a fist. Out the eggs emerge the larvae of the Material Plane's first colony of termites.

 

Takayaane kneels down to their creation. It was almost effortless. Almost. Takayaane felt their own energy drain just the tiniest sliver. Easily recoverable with rest, sure. But Takayaane's power was indeed limited. Using power without thought create consequences Takayaane would be too tired to undo. Care and consideration was needed. But Takayaane was only one mind, one subjective experience of an objective reality. Takayaane needed others' perspectives. Many, many others'. But Takayaane's fellow Gods would do for now.

 

Takayaane forms a huge broadleaf bush for the young termites to eat, then stands. Takayaane closes their eyes and focuses on their own bestial senses. Far in the distance is the scent of the divine. Takayaane catalogues the scent for tracking, then begins their travel through the shattered world.

 

The fleeing Starkin shine down from "above", for whatever that word's worth in the unstable gravity of a shattered planet. The sight of a creature fleeing worries Takayaane. For what in this void is there to flee from?

 

Takayaane clenches a fist, just to feel it. Takayaane relaxes. Whatever there is to be afraid of, Takayaane didn't need fear it.

 

Actions

Create Basic Life (0AP): Termites, Plants

 

Edited November 22, 2022 by Kaiju Cuddlebug (see edit history)

[Avaday Daydream]

 

Elemental matter swirled. A chunk of rock, no, a chunk of crystal, a manifestation of elemental earth, uniform in nature. It spun through the fledgling cosmos like a slow, lazy meteor.

As it flew through the fragmentary beginnings of a planet, it gathered mass. More earthen fragments, shifting water and winds, fiery energy, and with it all, a slowly growing divinity.

Soon, the sphere of accumulated matter and divine power began to glow, beginning to form into a deity. Would it become a planet in its own right, or a moon, or alight to form a sun? Would the sphere sprout like a seed and form a world tree, or hatch like an egg to produce some leviathan? So much possibility!

 

And then the sphere of accumulated matter, the meteor, crashed, headlong, into the large chunk of rock that Takayaane had come into being on.

SMASH!! 

Sorry about that, Takayaane.

 

The meteor was shattered into millions of pieces by the collision, but it was not destroyed; its divine purpose went on, changed.

Elemental energies swirled around the larger chunks of shattered meteor, filling them with power, and the myriad tiny fragments swirled like a whirlwind, passing through Takayaane's aura and coming away with a semblance of life.

The little fragments, like crude stick figures made of crystal and clay, have life breathed into them, and they form into life-like things, humanoid creatures clinging to tiny pieces of rock and gazing upon the fragmented cosmos with wonder.

The bigger chunks are reshaped, fire forging steel and water cutting stone, until...they are not quite like the smaller life, their features being formed out of stone and ice and other things rather than flesh, but they move all the same, like giant mobile statues of a species yet to be born.

 

There is a pause while the giants and smaller things orient themselves in space, studying the elemental building blocks around them, staring at the stars, and more than a few looking curiously at Takayaane.

That is, until the biggest chunk of rock left remaining, one that still looked like it could be a moon in progress, slowly unfurled into an immense figure made of blackened stone, with gently glowing crimson eyes.

The great stony figure stared at the behemoth of a deity for several yet-to-be-defined seconds, before it spoke.

"We are Tolig." it declared in a vast, deep voice. And then the millions of smaller creatures, and hundreds of the bigger ones who weren't engrossed in elemental matter, bowed to Takayaane.

---

Mutag remembered what came before like a dream. Flying through space, gathering dust and motes of things, a catchy theme in his head, before a tumble, everything spinning, and now, he was here.

...And he was a he, too, not an it. His newfound body had two legs, and two arms, and a head, perhaps a bit rotund and bulky, and was that a pair of stubby horns on his head? Neat.

He looked around at the space around him. He could see numerous fragments of rock, like an asteroid field, and numerous creatures like himself, some bigger, some smaller...mostly smaller.

And, how interesting! Some of the bigger rocks were changing shape, forming into creatures like him, just...bigger! And made of rock.

 

And then Mutag saw it. An immense beast amongst the field of rocks, a great beast with grey hide, with thick horns and a big tail and pointy looking claws. Something, his mind whispered to him, that was a god.

Instinct sparked within Mutag's heart; he knew, he was a divine being, no matter how small and fragmented. That part of him had had a destiny, as a sun or a great tree or a planet, to tend to and nourish all that lived in the cosmos. And though that destiny was undone by random chance, he still felt it; his purpose was to serve the gods.

And this, right in front of him, across the sea of stone and space, was a god, alright.

With the most natural ease in the world, Mutag sank to his knees (he had knees! Neat!) and kowtowed before Takayaane.

AP Expenditure: Manifestation of Tolig, creation of Goblins, Giants

Life (Giants); Create Mythical Life (4 AP): Giants

Life (Goblins); Create Mythical Life (4 AP): Goblins

Life (Goblins); Create Sub-Race (2 AP): Ogres

Progress: Life (Giants) 4/10 AP, Life (Goblins) 6/10 AP

 

Edited November 22, 2022 by Avaday Daydream (see edit history)

[Kaiju Cuddlebug]

Takayaane clenches a fist, just to feel it. Takayaane relaxes. Whatever there is to be afraid of, Takayaane didn't need fear it.

Takayaane was standing in front of millions of divine creatures kowtowing to Takayaane. Now, Takayaane was a god, but Takayaane was also a freshly spawned mind with a vague idea of protecting life and no specific plan. And Takayaane was now in charge.

 

Takayaane was terrified.

 

Takayaane stood speechless for a moment. These creatures do know there's other gods, right? Definitely at least two, judging by the scents. Though that's been muddied from the little bit of divinity in each of the Tolig. Point is, there's other gods, no one should be kneeling to Takayaane before weighing all their options, why are they kneeling, oh no why are they still kneeling–

 

Takayaane took a deep breath and spoke to their flock:

---

Rise. We have other gods to meet.

---

Yeah, that sounded godly. Okay, we're pulling this off. Just gotta not, uh, ruin the universe. As a god. In charge of the universe. Literally everything that ever happens: Takayaane's responsibility. Yup.

 

Takayaane really, really hoped the other gods weren't the "devour the multiverse" type. Takayaane needed the help.

[Avaday Daydream]

 

The Tolig rose. There were some giggles...yes, there was definitely some snickering going on amongst the masses at Takayaane's reaction.

Mutag, the viewpoint ogre from before, hopped from asteroid to asteroid with surprising grace until he was perched on the nearest rock to the beast god he could find.

"Lead the way, master." he intoned, before leaning in a bit closer, "Do not worry, we do not judge. We help." 

"We're like the minions that dig out your dungeon! Or the workers that improve tiles!" a random nearby goblin chirped. Several other Tolig turned to stare at him curiously, wondering what he was referencing.

[Kaiju Cuddlebug]

Hearing the snickering, it dawns on Takayaane that the Tolig know more than Takayaane does. Or at least they think they do.

---

"Labor helps, but what I...what we need for a secure world is insight and expertise. Between you all, you have the might of a god with the perspective of millions. I have the might of a god and the perspective of one. If you all choose to follow me, then view me as one perspective to your millions. No more. And no less."

---

Takayaane could smell the two other gods nearing each other. Were they meeting each other, too?

---

"Take my terms or not, I'm going to meet the other gods. If you'd rather serve someone else, then I'm leading the way."

---

Takayaane turns and begins variously walking and leaping between chunks of rock to the two other gods' convergence point.

---

"And watch your step. No one left behind. God's command. Big one, you're in charge."

---

Takayaane definitely had every idea what they were doing, and definitely weren't making everything up as they went. Definitely. Really. Probably. Maybe.

[Avaday Daydream]

The tolig nodded; as Takayaane started to make his way towards where the other gods were hopefully to be found, the numerous goblinoids fell in line after him, more than a few mimicking the big god's every move. The larger giants, for their part, began to follow along without bouncing off rocks, using conjured gusts, fiery exhaust or just some gravitational trick to push or pull themselves along.

 

That left the biggest Tolig, bringing up the rear, scooping up those stragglers who were playing around with the small plants and insects.

As it gathered up the stray goblinoids, it paused for a few seconds, considering...then it picked up Takayaane's rock (the ones with the termites and leafy bush on it) and started to drift forward, gathering up fragments of rocks and ice to its chest as it followed the rest of the servants and the bestial god.

[Anthr4xus]

Veshwoon was quiet and still, as shortly after the Starkin were spawned, there seemed to be a sudden explosion of beings.  A singular form moved through the void towards Veshwoon, the faint light of the Starkin reflecting from it's mirror skin. It moved with speed and intention that indicated it was also a thinking being like Veshwoon.  Veshwoon observed the uncountable mass of new beings tumbling among the detritus.  They had gathered around another large being.  This one, festooned with horns and boney plating, had reacted to sudden existence in the same manner as Veshwoon, by creating.  As Veshwoon considered them all, their names became known. 

 

While the godlings were doing well within this barren environment, and the Starkin were born to it, the initial creations of the one called Takayaane were having a rough time of things, barely scrabbling by in the nearly airless void and lifeless ground in which they had been birthed.  Veshwoon shifted form, shaping raw flesh, chitin, enamel, and bone into an ever changing number of limbs, pseudopods, tentacles, and fluid filled legs.  In this new form Veshwoon was even more aware of the difficulties of movement and existence.  With a great exhalation of newly shaped mouths, maws, proboscises and unnamed organs a vast wave of etheric air expanded from Veshwoon to fill this bubble of Reality.  As the breathable atmosphere expanded, Veshwoon's form continued to move.  So great was the force of the exhalation that parts of Veshwoon were blown off of it, first pieces so small as to be nearly imperceptible but becoming larger and larger as the godly breath continued.  After some time the great exhalation ended, though the fragments, much like that which spawned them, took their own breaths each to their preference, creating a sustaining symbiotic network that kept the new air fresh and moving.  Takayanne's plants even contributed, taking in some kinds of air and expelling others, and growing more robust in the process.

 

Recovering from this miraculous task, Veshwoon turned it's focus to the mirrored figured that had continued to approach.  "Who approaches Veshwoon?" Veshwoon asked, the sound of it's voice thunderously loud from the countless speaking tubes, mouths, and maws speaking in unison in the newly formed air, "Did Veshwoon create you?"

 

AP Spend

 

Create Land/Water(/Air?) - 2 AP - Creation (Environments)

Create Basic Life (Bacterial life) - 0 AP - Creation (Environments)

Create Basic Life (Microbial life) - 0 AP - Creation (Environments)

Create Basic Life (Oozes, slimes, and living goos of various sizes) - 0 AP - Creation (Environments)

Create Basic Life (Harmful Bacteria) - 0 AP - Creation (Monsters)

Create Basic Life (Harmful Microbes) - 0 AP - Creation (Monsters)

Create Basic Life (Simple carnivorous mosses and grasses) - 0 AP - Creation (Monsters)

Create Basic Life (Crystalline insects of various sizes) - 0 AP - Creation (Monsters)

Create Mythical Concept (Connected Web of life) - 4 AP - Creation (Environments)

 

Progress: 6/10 Creation (Environments), 4/10 Creation (Monsters)

 

[The Stranger]

Before Iam could reach his destination, he felt a great force exerted over him. It washed over him and surrounded him, along with the rest of the world. It forced him to stop for a moment and marvel at it all. Whatever, this was, it was everywhere all at once and yet it gave way so easily to let new things be. Iam's mask did not change, but he had to invent new senses for his form to truly appreciate this new thing that could not be seen, could barely be heard, and could hardly be felt. In doing so, he became aware of countless tiny beings that were not there before. They seemed to have been carried and spread throughout the first world by that great force that spread out to everywhere.

 

The great exhalation was truly a miraculous feat and again the trajectory seemed to share a similar origin point. Iam became even more excited to find the source and thus he continued on his way until he came before the mass of maws and limbs and other things of flesh and bone that called out to and questioned him.

---

"I am Iam."

---

The mirrored figure repeated his first thoughts. It was those very thoughts that had initially created his entire existence.

---

"I was not created by you or anyone. I just simply am."

---

Iam then thought for a moment. This one who speaks of Veshwoon, why did they ask that question?

---

"Have you created so many things, you would not notice if you happened to create something like me? Does that mean you created this?"

---

He gestured around to the breathable atmosphere with his free hand, his other one holding up his little transparent cube.

---

"Did you also create these?"

---

He went on to question, seemingly gesturing to the same space, but in that space was not just the breathable atmosphere, but countless tiny microorganisms. 

---

"What are they? What did you make them for and why did you spread them everywhere?"

---

Iam was so curious. He was so enthralled and intrigued by this other being with great power. The questions just kept pouring out one after another.

 

He had to stop himself there, or he probably would never get any answers to any of them.

[Avaday Daydream]

There was a very brief silence as a wave of air washed over the approaching tolig (and one Takayaane), before quiet applause broke out accompanied by oohs and aahs.

"Judging by that, we're getting close." one of the goblins chirped, "I wonder what this meeting of the gods will be like?"

That...caused a sudden hush again, followed by an outbreak of whispering, the audible snippets including words like 'place to sit' and 'relaxing' and 'wafting a fan' and 'music' and 'do gods eat? Does food exist as a concept in this universe?'. And more than a few glances in the direction of the massive ball of rock and ice the big Tolig was pushing along.

Finally, Mutag, the ogre from before, spoke up, "Master Takayaane, please excuse us. If the gods meet, there must be someplace for you and they to meet."

Behind him, several giants could be seen pulling chunks out of Tolig's katamari big rock, experimentally crushing and molding the earth like clay...and hello, where was that one going?

---

Yalmekug the giant, with a body made of cloudstuff, jetted through the newly made sky, blowing himself along using the winds (was he using flatulence?), approaching the other divine forces that Takayaane had sensed.

Gradually slowing as he approached, he studied the air around him, the strange tiny oozes and mossy rocks drifting through the air, miniscule crystalline things (were those creatures of some kind?) passing right in front of his eyes, and then...

A humanoid being, vaguely resembling a stone giant but taller and metallic in nature, with a smooth, mirror-like face. And a...something that defied classification except perhaps as 'mutant hecatonchires', a fleshy chaotic being with uncountable limbs and mouths and tentacles and other curiously mashed-up things.

As he got closer, Yalmekug's instincts spoke to him just like they had with Takayaane; these were gods. Drifting up to them, the cloudy giant knelt down on the air and bowed his head.

"Masters. I am of the Tolig, we whom exist to serve the gods." he spoke with a voice like a deep-pitched flute, "I come to announce, master Takayaane is approaching."

[Kaiju Cuddlebug]

---

"No, please, I'm more than capable of...Yes, you're more than free to...Please, make yourself seats if you'd...Yes, that is a pretty rock, you...No really, we can worry about luxuries after we've all, hang on..."

---

Takayaane was trying. Being the one person directly in charge of million was about as chaotic as the universe before the gods. So not much had changed. Takayaane was still approaching Veshwoon and Iam, but the buzzing crowd made progress slow. At least Takayaane would ensure the Gods' Primordial Meeting Hall is only as luxurious for the Gods as can be convenient for the Tolig. The Tolig were divinity too, and Takayaane wanted the Tolig to be held in worthy esteem. The universe was too young for suffering.

[Anthr4xus]

Veshwoon says, "Iam. Veshwoon does not think you were created by Veshwoon.  It is possible that Veshwoon caused something to be created without realizing. Veshwoon is barely older than the rest of you divinelings. Veshwoon created the breathable gases and the network of living things that connect at the lowest levels.  The things you question are part of Veshwoon's creation.  They were made to establish a foundation to support further creation."  As Veshwoon spoke, small living things continued to drop from between it's folds of flesh and writhing tentacles and limbs.  They tumbled through the air, some using rudimentary wings to fly and feast upon the larger crystalline insects, while others fell to the ground to wander or burrow away.

 

As the Tolig and Takayanne approach Veshwoon says, "Tolig and Takayanne are both entities like Iam and Veshwoon, regardless of number or stature.  Veshwoon and the rest of you seem to have been made as part of this Reality.  Veshwoon knows Veshwoon's purpose.  Do you know yours?"

 

AP Spend

Create Basic Life (Flying beasts of flesh, feather and fang) - 0 AP - Creation (Monsters)

Create Basic LIfe (Bounding reptavians with rudimentary wings of crystal and precious stone) - 0 AP - Creation (Environment)

Create Basic Life (Crawling carnivorous vines) - 0 AP - Creation (Environment)

Create Basic Life (Floating plants) - 0 AP - Creation (Environment)

Create Basic Life (Flying carnivorous plants) - 0 AP - Creation (Monsters)

 

[Kaiju Cuddlebug]

Takayaane looks on at the various creatures spewing out of Veshwoon with equal parts respect and trepidation. They seemed...aimless. Their squealing and squirming was close to pitiable. And why did some prey upon the others? Surely there was another way?

---

"Veshwoon. Why are you making these creatures?"

---

And then, with an unconscious glance, Takayaane looks at Iam's mask. And Takayaane sees themselves worshipped. A crowd of millions of faintly detailed creatures bow on their knees. Silent chants ring through what resembles a temple of mountainous scale, endless barren ledges circling like an amphitheatre. Takayaane is the fascination on stage, a great object for life to oggle at but never join. Spotlights shine down on Takayaane from the heavens. And dangling from Takayaane's wrists and neck...

 

...are those strings?

 

Takayaane spins themselves around to look at the reflected crowd. But they're not there. It was just an illusion. The crowd doesn't exist. Not yet.

 

Takayaane checks their wrists. There's nothing there. Takayaane feels the back of their neck. Nothing there.

 

Takayaane supresses the urge to shatter the mirror with a punch. Iam probably prefers their face intact.