Godhood XIV [Syrup Edition] - Printable Version

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And now, it seems the gods would intervene
With mortal words and mortal needs and thoughts.
Yet with what they have done, we must now ask
Will this be more a gain - or more a loss?

***

The Weaver of the Wilds carves a tremendous volcano from the Matriarch's planet, designed to draw heat from the rest of the planet and concentrate it in one area, so that the Summerweed may thrive.

The Gatherer of Memories, the Faceless Philosopher and the Protector of the Steppe continue to spread and tweak life throughout the universe: the mighty Platewood and frantic Wiremoss sprung up, and Canary coaxes the plants of Ournaro into a delicate seasonal cycle. This is followed by the creation of the Buzzts - who quickly go to work pollinating the plants in the sky - as well as the Roundfish, Buzzers and Aerwhal, scattered across several planets. The Thieving Whale also contributes, in the form of a bizarre pre-cooked creature with a piercing laugh.

Suddenly, Tlaca-Ica comes to the realization that there is no afterlife - that the souls of the dead either linger as shades, or entirely cease to be. He proposes that a proper afterlife is developed to deal with the problem.

As a demonstration, the Silent Scorpion grants the Narkissts a simple afterlife and the souls to enter it. Following her lead, The Hidden Librarian creates two entities to judge the dead - but the afterlife remains unfinished, so the two remain inert, slumbering, waiting for their duty to be realized.

He Who Obscures thinks it best that the space between dimensions is difficult for mortals to traverse; to that end, he weaves a lattice of viscous sugar into the fabric of the universe. Thus shall crossing between the planes be reserved for the gods, the dead, and the most determined heroes.

Though the gods may not yet speak easily with the dead, for the first time, they speak to the living: the Woman Outside Time decides to make contact with the Redweed, and the Gleaming Trickster follows suit. Two prophets arise: Costro Memorius of the Greifous Feeders, and Frue Hjerteler of the Tornbygge.

Finally, The Matriarch crafts five animals of gleaming metal and great power - trophies for those who would prove their worth - and scatters them across Progenitor. It isn't long before the locals start to notice them, and take interest.

***

The Volcano of Fury soon sees the Winterweed pushed away from the Matriarch's Temple. The lava flows freely, but never touches the sea. The remaining Winterweed accumulates at the opposite end of the planet, where it can grow more freely.

For the most part, the Narkissts have no idea the afterlife exists until they're already living in it. Occasionally, though, one becomes convinced that they saw a glimpse of a recently-dead family member soaring into the sky at midnight. The tales spread far and wide, and their meaning and authenticity are debated.

The Buzzts and Aerwhal frequently come into conflict over resources during the warm season. The spirits of the Narkisst occasionally intervene in favor of the pollinators, but are generally content to merely float among the plants and see to it that they are kept healthy.

For reasons unknown, during one Collision, the Screws find that they may look into the very minds of the creatures of Progenitor, seeing their knowledge and memories. Though this mostly lacks a practical use, it nonetheless reassures the Screws of their superiority, as it quickly becomes clear they are the only ones with this ability.

The Saxa happily incorporate the RBs into their diet, and - at the urging of some benevolent Screws - begin to move away from eating the Snakevines. In turn, the Snakevines begin training the RBs to eat nothing but the Bummerweed, ensuring their safety.

With tensions lowered between the two species, and further encouragement and aid from the less self-absorbed Screws, the Saxa and Snakevines begin to interact peacefully, developing a shared language with a variety of dialects - some focused around signing, others around the written word. A few Snakevines even gain the ability to hear and speak, but this is not a tremendous advantage, and so only takes root in a relatively small portion of the population. The two establish trade routes so that the vines may exchange their technology for the cave-dwellers' gems, and soon the Saxa begin to spread out of the caves, forming aboveground villages.

Peace is short-lived once the Matriarch's gifts are discovered. Three prominent bearers arise: Granite, a Saxa who keeps to themselves and isn't interested in much beyond immortality; Princess Twistknot, a Snakevine who - with revolutionary tactics and inimitable skill with throwing spears - has arisen as a conqueror that seeks to unite her people as one; and Old Blood Eye, a Saxa bandit who seems to have little on his mind beyond cheap thrills and as much wealth as he can get his hands on. In particular, the machinations of Twistknot and Blood Eye bring forth conflicts that not even Sizzurp can stop.

For the first time, a Screw is killed by a mortal weapon, and the question of whether they are truly divine arises. But for the most part, the locals have bigger things on their mind.

Meanwhile, on Melody, the prophets set forth on their mission. Costro Memorius has a relatively easy time getting the Greifous Feeders to follow him, and they quickly rally behind him as their leader. He sees the strengthening of their oral tradition, and sets the great thinkers of the land to either write things worth recording or devise a new method of recording them.

Hjerteler finds significantly more resistance among the conservative and serious Tornbygge, and for a long time, the only laughter she brings about is directed at her. Eventually, furious, she manages to convince a small group of outcasts and skeptics to follow her east, and settle a new nation on the coast. Still, the Tornbygge laugh. Once they decide on a location, they begin recruiting from the small local clans, promising to protect them from the major tribes. Still, the Tornbygge laugh.

Finally, Hjerteler and her followers craft a strange device according to the visions she has received from Tlaca-Ica: a complex instrument to make their churning far more efficient, allowing them to gather far more nutrients from the water than any of their rivals. Their population explodes, and within a few years, they finish constructing a tremendous and beautiful castle that dwarfs any building the Redweed have crafted before. They fence off their piece of the sea, then retreat within the walls of Hjertelfestning to make merry for several days.

The Tornbygge are silent once more.

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Locational Constructs

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Mortals of Note

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