Action Precedent - the Icy Wastes

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In the steep facets of the Diamond, where a rushing glint of light meets the cold razor of crystal carbon, there is a swirling chaos known as the Steep Ginungagap, a pit which spans across Time and belches up the beginnings of many universes. The gas produced by these upheavals was called Eitr, and it was the foundation of many magics and a powerful force of scarce-bounded creation.

The first meeting of spark of life inside form of frozen zarconium built up, over time, into a fantastic hoary giant with too many teeth and a long-horned cow with dense shaggy fur laced in rime, a thick blubbery hide, sure clove hooves, and a ferocious temper. The giant fed on rich milk from the beast, and the beast survived because of the protection of the giant from ice floes and harsh radiation. The giant called himself Ymir. He did not call the bovine anything. It had no name. It was just a cow.

Ymir had long been exposed to the Eitr. He came to rule the Frozen Wastes, which he called Niflheim. He grew tall and strong on Eitr and rich milk. The heady Eitr sometimes made him drowsy, and when he slept new kin sprang into existence in his warm crooks and crannies.

[pays DM Favor]

Ymir and his spawn explored the icy wastes and grew accustomed to them. They grew numerous. They hung together less out of kinship than for protection against the fierce Wolves that roamed the ice, chasing the scent of blood. The fact that the slavering, starved beasts rarely got the chance to eat in all this wasteland only sharpened their bodies to a brutal extent, for they were as the gods and could hardly be killed by starvation. These Steep Wolves were the sole threat against the giants (other than the prodigious infighting), and the giants quickly grew towering and comfortable, developing little to no culture.

The cow had also been exposed to the Eitr, and its body was very warm. It often felt drained of vitality through the gifts it offered Ymir's brood, and to Ymir himself, who drank as much as all his family put together. The cow licked and licked the ice in search of RimeSalt, and as it did it absorbed Eitr and left residual Eitr and warmth in the snow. Since the Eitr was still strong, this and a particular block of salt was the basis for life, and a new form of spirit came into being under the cow's tongue.

This new form of spirit was different than Ymir and his spawn. The new spirit was fair and beautiful, and had more complex thoughts. It came into being with its head full of ideas of the nature of existence, the value of life, and the power of creativity. It was fair skinned, shapely, and nearly hairless. The Eitr was in its head and in its hands.

When Ymir met the new spirit, he named it "Odin."

Create and imagine, Diamondbrothers Ymir, Bregelmir, and Odin!

Hapday

Bregelmir, as you wander the ice you encounter an area of rime different than any you've seen before. Brushing aside some sparse snow, you note that the ice here is unusually clear. It is effectively transparent: When you have removed the snow, it is hard to tell your legs are supported by anything. Further investigation reveals that the field of clear ice has a substantial diameter.

Biday

BREGELMIR

I explore. Can I find the edge?

I also attempt to chip away at the clear ice with a sharp stick.

When I get back to the settlement I will ask a handful of others if they have ever seen anything like it.

Biday

Yes, the ice field is of finite diameter. It is large enough that about four frost giants could lay head-to-toe in any direction.

Using all your strength, you can barely manage to dislodge a few shavings of the clear ice. Though the flat surface is marred, the clarity continues. You find that a combination of scoring with something sharp and then applying blunt force is the best way to get rid of layers of ice, though even this takes some time. After a very long time of dragging that stick or your fingernail through that ice and slamming the area around it with your fist, you remove a rough plane of clear ice the size of your head. Its edges are quite sharp, though they don't hold up to pressure very well.

None of your associates have ever seen anything similar. Even ice of limited translucency is rare in this salty winter wasteland.

A female ice giant named Farkr asks for possession of the frozen circle you present.

Triday

BREGELMIR

I tell her to keep her hands off until I can find out more!

I go out and try to find the bottom of the clear ice. I’ll also spend some time looking into it. Can I find it's depth? Does it change the way I think at all?

Tetday

Farkr grumbles stonily but retires to her brooding corner.

In searching for the bottom of the ice, you make an interesting discovery. You are blasting away at the shallow end of the field when, down at the maximum depth your stick can reach, you impact against something your spear cannot pierce. This narrow tunnel takes all day to carve, and the yellow eyes of the Steep Wolves are beginning to whine hungrily from the lengthening shadows.

Before that time comes, however, you spend some time gazing into the clear ice. It gives you a new perception, a thoughtset of something new that can be in the world since you haven't seen much in the way of that which is easily pierced by vision. Your meditation or searching does not, however, grant you any particular clarity of vision or outlook.

You return to the camp. In the morning, you realize that the ice circle you so painstakingly ground out is missing. A quick look reveals that Farkr and a few male giants are also missing.

Pentday

BREGELMIR

How dare she! Well, I know exactly who did it! I storm off to find her! When I do, I will threaten her until she gives it back! And then I am going to inform her and the missing giants that they are going to help me dig up more ice!

If I can't find Farkr I will ask around and try to get other giants to help me find her.

Hexday

You do not have much difficulty finding the group of giants. They are squabbling over possession of the crystal-clear disc. Though you can see that its surface has been scratched, you note that it is just as exceptionally transparent as before.

Farkr flinches back and drops the circle; she and the other giants are individually smaller and weaker than you. However, they disdainfully refuse to help, as together they feel strong enough - each has a level 2 Strength domain and there are four of them besides Farkr.

Hexday

BREGELMIR

I lunge forward while they're still talking and hurl the disc as my first blow! I go for the biggest first.

Hexday

DM	Combat ensues. You knock the biggest giant to the floor and knock two heads together. At these bruises, the giants submit. Hexday

BREGELMIR

"Would you louses like some work? I can get you way more of that stuff than you can steal from me.
If you want, I will lead the way to the ice patch."
/msgDM {I am going to make sure I get the shift which does the final clearing.}

Heptday

Cowed, they agree to help. With all this assistance, it takes much less time to clear away the clear ice, even as giants crow over clear chunks of the stuff.

HOWEVER, all the extra noise also attracts the attention of the Steep Wolves. Many Steep Wolves. They move in for the attack, leaping and baying, hackles raised and teeth bared! Wherever their footsteps fall, especially when they launch themselves into the air, slivers of sharp crystal spray up in all directions. Their thick, almost manelike scruffs protect them from the worst of your blows as well, and you find yourselves hemmed in. The lead wolf, the tactical leader across the Icy Wastes, steps forward with an instructive growl to his pack.

+Steep Wolves vs Bregelmir+
Tier: Worldcrafter vs Worldcrafter
Domain: Hunt 1 vs Strength 1
Weakness: ??? vs None
Equipment: None vs None
Circumstance: Pack Bonus vs None
Spell: None vs None
Allies: 6 Wolves vs 6 Giants
Insight: None vs None

Heptday

BREGELMIR

Female giants are spellcasters, right? Farkr will go about the business of zapping the ice under the wolves to trap them one by one. Everyone focuses on the leader.

I slam at the wolves, trying to bring both fists clenched together down on a wolfy neck. I also kick when they leap, pushing them back and not letting them up.
We try to break their pack, driving wedges of us into groups of them.

Hrairday

+Steep Wolves vs Bregelmir+
Tier: Worldcrafter vs Worldcrafter
Domain: Hunt 1 vs Strength 1
Weakness: Shallow Cowardice vs None
Equipment: None vs None
Circumstance: Pack Bonus vs None
Spell: None vs Icetrap
Allies: 6 Wolves vs 6 Giants
Insight: None vs Remove the Brain

The Wolves flee. Some leave the skin from the bottom of their paws stuck to the ice in their haste to retreat. Though no one has taken a wound that will not heal, the giants on your crew instantly abandon your leadership, taking off in the direction of the caves. A few stop just long enough to grab chunks of the clear ice to be fashioned later.

You are left alone with a nice pit in the clear ice, surrounded by swirling snow and the yelping of Wolves in the distance.

The giants in your temporary service have naturally stopped at a layer of even denser ice. This new substance (once you clear the chips off of it) is perfectly smooth, has just the slightest tint of blue, and refracts even the tiniest bit of light into swirling multicolored fragments about the place. It is dense and tougher than onyx; seeming closer akin to metal than to ice. The dark void above you has a reflection in the cold surface, and you can even see yourself clearly for what may be the first time, lit up by the spray from the prism.

Hrairday

BREGELMIR

At first, I just stare at it. I try to memorize my look. Later I try to acquire some of the hardest ice.

Hrairday

DM	Despite your best efforts, the ice remains obstinately in place. No tool of yours, nor all your strength, even make a dent. Hrairday

BREGELMIR

I return to the ice alone, since Odin won't help me. I try crafting a more effective tool out of stone or ice or something.

Hapday

LADY	I have made a roll for your chances. Hapday

You can of course fashion anything into any shape of which you can conceive. However, no divine spark is granted to your creation, and even your loveliest masterpiece of a pick cannot scratch this finest ice or crystal. It is just as good at moving and chipping the merely clear ice, but is not effective against the very hard substance.

Biday

Odin, without a Cold domain, the bitter winds and treacherous footing is vastly uncomfortable for you. What's worse, you are deep within hostile territory, where shelter is hard to come by, and what is available seems to be always occupied by Ymir's ever-increasing brood. Furthermore, they often become aware of you quickly - compared to these hideously ugliest of asymmetrical brutes, formed by chaos rather than design, you shine with a handsomeness and inner light which makes you stand out. Unless, that is, you are on the hunt.

It is not far into your first strides when the giants call you out on these differences. You are surrounded in all directions but one, where the gang of giants form a gate out of their readied crude clubs and icicle shards. The giants on the outskirst start hurling stones as big as your head! There are about 5 giants in all. Eitr hangs heavy about them, its crude creative power converted into the power to kill even a young god.

+Giants vs Odin+
Tier: Worldcrafter vs Steepest
Domain: Strength 3 vs Hunt 1
Weakness: Intelligence vs None
Equipment: None vs None
Circumstance: Home Field Advantage vs None
Spell: Eitr Crackle vs None
Allies: 5 Giants vs None
Insight: Pressure Point vs None

Triday

ODIN	I try to flee, rather than fight them all. Maybe I can knock down one or two to effect an escape? Tetday

DM	You're likely to take a beating, if you get away at all. They don't look like they're merely playing. In fact, your intuition suggests that these giants may not be sophisticated enough even to play with their food. [submits roll] Pentday

ODIN	[submits roll] Pentday

LADY	Giants roll 15. Odin rolls 5. Hexday

DM	You fail to escape. You're hemmed in, ducking your head beneath the flailing fists. Hexday

ODIN	I nab a few of the rocks they've been throwing at me. Anything special about them? I am going to try to craft them into a massive enchanted spear. Hexday

LADY	[roll. 1d20=20.] Hexday

DM	The rocks, too, have been exposed to Eitr. The effect is such that, with your Creation domain and your own Eitr Exposure, you can shape a spear worthy of a Steep God (at half cost) almost instantly. Heptday

ODIN

[pays DM Favor]

I clap my cupped hands around the rocks. With a thunderclap, they shoot up toward the sky and crystallize into "Gungnir," a spear which cannot miss and will return to my hands when thrown.

I dig in, scratching my boots into the ice and fortifying my stance.

I send my spear through two of them at once, and it catches another on its way back. Upon its return, I make an extra jab or two with the haft. I also use my body as a tempting target, then pull it back as two of them rush to the same spot and let them tangle up.

Hrairday

+Giants vs Odin+
Tier: Worldcrafter vs Steepest
Domain: Strength 3 vs Hunt 1
Weakness: Intelligence vs None
Equipment: None vs Gungnir
Circumstance: Home Field Advantage vs None
Spell: Eitr Crackle vs None
Allies: 5 Giants vs None
Insight: Pressure Point vs None

You are victorious; the giants slain or severely wounded. Their hot blood seeps into the ice, which crackles and buckles to receive their bodies. Their strength and numbers are not enough to overcome a superior tool and tactics.

Hrairday

BREGELMIR

I come out of a nearby cave and offer shelter. I stand out of the way and light a torch to show that there is no threat in there.

Hrairday

ODIN	I accept and try to recover my strength as effectively as possible. Hrairday

BREGELMIR

I ask Odin if he can make me a spear like his so I can kill the Steep Wolves.

Hapday

ODIN	"You only wish to slay them out of greed, do you not? You merely want to delve for more of that clear crystal. I will not assist, unless you make your purpose known and it be good." Hapday

BREGELMIR

"I will give you some of the crystal, mined by my workers."

Biday

ODIN

"You do not understand what it means to work towards a greater benefit, do you? You do not even know what this crystal is. You expect to win me by tales of bullying others and impress me with your mere muscle. Why, I have just come out of combat by using a wise tool formed of an out-of-the-box resource, rather than half-formed clubs or bestial fists. Until you are better than the beasts you wish to defeat, I will give you no help."

Triday

BREGELMIR

Fine. I try to help Odin get his strength back like he wanted. Share my food, let him build a fire if he wants. I'll even offer my club as firewood, "half-formed" as it is. "I'll help you, since someday I think I can convince you to do what I wanted."

Triday

ODIN

"You do not understand relationships among wise men, either. I won't be bought or sold. However, you have helped me, and this I declare to be my philosophy: That all who see each other as worthy of respect, and wish respect in return, will play the good host. They will invite someone, even their mortal enemy, into the warmth, clothe him, feed him, and entertain him. The traveller will express his gratitude, but will not be bound to favor, for the host gave it willingly asking only respect. That is the way it should be."
"Bregelmir, since you hosted me when I was in need, you are my friend from here on, and I will try to show you how the Wise achieve their goals."

As soon as my strength is up, I thank Bregelmir gratefully once more. And I leave speedily and stealthily.

Triday

DM	You are still in hostile territory. One with the Hunt domain such as yourself would certainly be more stealthy, but there is still a small chance of a mistake. Please make a roll. [submits roll to counter] Triday

ODIN	[submits roll] Triday

LADY	DM rolls 9. Odin rolls 10. Tetday

DM	You escape the most dangerous area, where the territory favors the enemy. Tetday

ODIN	While Bregelmir is distracted with his toolmaking, I am going to do some Hunting. I trace these Steep Wolves back to their camp or caves. I'm hoping to find some information on them. Signs of culture or lack thereof? Signs that they're not pure evil and destruction? Pentday

YMIR	I am aware of this stranger! I try to smash him! Pentday

ODIN	Sigh. Hexday

+Ymir vs Odin+
Tier: Steepest vs Steepest
Domain: Strength 4 vs Hunt
Weakness: Dexterity vs None
Equipment: None vs Gungnir
Circumstance: Home Field Advantage vs None
Spell: None vs None
Allies: None vs None
Insight: None vs None
Odin, so soon after your previous bruising, Ymir comes dangerously close to taking out a large section of your skull. It feels rattled. Blood rolls down your face and cakes over your eye.

Heptday

ODIN	I'm still in a hunting mood, and I am definitely not prepared to handle such big game! I skate out of there, for shelter too small for Ymir. Surely that is not so hard to find? Heptday

DM	Your small size does give you the advantage in flight. Do you still wish to continue with the Wolf plan? Hrairday

ODIN	Yes. Hrairday

You sneak past the creatures. The manelike structures on the backs of their heads bristle when you come near, but by keeping your distance you can avoid awakening them. Crawling deep into the recesses of their caverns, you peek your head out into a lupine nest: An adult female is feeding some scarce scrap of old meat to a pair of tiny dark fluffy spheres, from which a few sharp teeth protrude to nip and growl at the meat.

Hrairday

ODIN	When the mother wolf leaves, I take both babies into my cloak and feed them choice meat. I will take them back to some empty shelter I can find and fortify. Hrairday

The wolves grow quickly. They show perfect aptitude for the hunt and command. They often manage to feed themselves, though they show an eerie fondness for freshly slain manflesh. Raised by you from such a young age, the mighty beasts look upon you with utter loving fondness and obey your every word.

Hapday

ODIN	"You see, Bregelmir? Things are not always as they seem, and violence is not always the answer." Introduce him to my wolves. Hapday

BREGELMIR

"That doens't prove anything. I don't have any of the glittery stuff, any more than I did before."

Biday

ODIN	{/msg DM Do I think the wild Wolves will favor me if I showcase two of their young?} Triday

DM	{/msg Odin. Yes.} Triday

ODIN	I stride boldly out onto the ice field. I use my Creation domain to gently ease a segment of the unbreakable clarity out from the rime. Then, if that succeeds, I put the segment away. Triday

YMIR	Bregelmir! This man is dangerous! Spend less time with him! He can teach you nothing! Avoid at all costs! Return to the caves! It is where you belong! Tetday

The Steep Wolves slide out, already on the offensive. Seeing you with your hunting wolves, clearly unconcerned and on your side, they slow their attack and no longer see you as a threat, as if a switch was thrown in their minds. They watch to see what happens next.

Your undiluted power of creation raises a portion the clear substance from its bed. As it catches the light it reveals, in glinting perfect facets of sharp, unbreakable strength, the light of the Diamond itself: Locked under the ice is a small bed of the very cold carbon hypercrystals whose refracted light is all Creation in every aspect of the entire Diamond of the Worlds.

Tetday

BREGELMIR

{/msg Ymir I know what I am doing! I just want the ice stuff!}
"Quick! Give me the ice and I will accept what you're saying."

Pentday

ODIN	"You must understand this! Surely you must be close to perceiving the truth of what I say. But to give you the ice for nothing would accomplish the same. Soon I will share it: when you are ready. Meanwhile, let us share other things! Things less bound up in tangible worth!" Hexday

ODIN

I take Bregelmir and my twin wolves on a hunting trip, sharing comraderie and the wonder of all that is created. Out there in the camp, I shape an item and give it to Bregelmir.
"It is a frostbolt prybar, a shifter of the ice and rock. I have imbued it with the power of creation and the power to raise, to rebuild, and to topple only to replace with something better. It is named after the great pit whose antithesis it is: something for purposeful rather than random creation. It is hte Steep Gapbar!"
I leave a small amount left over for other projects.

[pays DM Favor]

Hexday

YMIR	I crash this rendesvous! I come in swinging! I roar mightily! I take no care! I stake my claim! This is all my land! I KILL ODIN!! Heptday

+Ymir vs Odin+
Tier: Steepest vs Steepest
Domain: Strength 4 vs Hunt 1
Weakness: Dexterity vs None
Equipment: None vs Gungnir
Circumstance: Home Field Advantage vs None
Spell: None vs None
Allies: None vs Wolves
Insight: Rage vs None

That doesn't go well for you, Odin. Ymir is stronger than you by far, bigger and better suited to this brutal environment, and you are essentially alone in the crippling land of the enemy. Ymir is the original Steep Giant, the oldest living thing in all this wasteland, and is full of anger. Every blow sends near-lethal shivers up and down your spine.

Hrairday

ODIN	I attempt to flee, using Ymir's size against him: dodge between his legs, hide in places he cannot fit. Hrairday

DM	Roll. Both of you. Hrairday

ODIN	[submits roll] Hrairday

YMIR	I allow no escape! I stomp to pin your weak frame! I grind you to ice! Your luck has run out! Your end is near! I kill little god of the hunt! I kill his pets! I KILL ODIN!! [submits roll] Hapday

ODIN

I use my knowledge of the Hunt, and Gungnir, to stick Ymir and make him bleed! To drain him like I would drain the blood from large prey before hanging it up in the smokehouse!

And feeding it to the wolves!

Furthermore, I will pay for a reality revision to create a tailwind for the wolves, giving them a magical burst of speed in this battle.

Hapday

LADY	Odin rolls 20. Ymir rolls 1. Hapday

YMIR	I kill Odin. Hapday

+Ymir vs Odin+
Tier: Steepest vs Steepest
Domain: Strength 4 vs Hunt 1
Weakness: Dexterity vs None
Equipment: None vs Gungnir
Circumstance: Home Field Advantage vs In The Zone
Spell: None vs Favorable Wind
Allies: None vs Wolves
Insight: Rage vs The Bigger They Are

Gungnir cruises back into Odin's hand, its tip slick and red. Ymir's blood courses out like a waterfall. The warmth of the ichor is like spring coming to the icy wastes; it is like the first spark which created Ymir. The flood rushes into crevasses and causes the ice to buckle as it did when Odin slayed the gang of giants. Ymir stumbles and sinks partway down. The twin wolves leap forward to help, biting at the bleeding places, trying to consume the ferrous liquid and its source. Odin, you sink to the ground, exhausted and beaten nearly to your end.

Hrairday

NORNS

Death approved.

Hrairday

DM	[Massive DM Favor transfers to Odin. A bit of Norn Favor rolls over.] Hrairday

ODIN	I think it is time at last for a world not so hostile to myself. And for opportunity for more people who think like me. Bregelmir, might I have your aid for a bit? Hrairday

BREGELMIR

For a Favor.

Hapday

ODIN	.5Favor. Hapday

BREGELMIR

.75. You're getting the Gapbar's help too.

Biday

ODIN

Done.
I roll Ymir's torso up like a giant snowball. I set sparks from the Diamondlight into Ymir's skull, which I set over his body. The flesh will become unfrosted plain, his teeth and bones will become the bones of this new world, as boulders, mountains, ridges. The skull I will paint in Eitr, as much as I can gather, in a thin coating; it will give forth melted water to fuel the life below in conjuction with the sparks, which will be the Sun and Moon. Whatever is within the bowels of this giant will be left to find as treasures or banes within the earth by the life on it.

This is a good time to bring in my friend Durin, who I will awaken (from the decomposers who digest Ymir's flesh) to be the first Dwarf on this more hospitable realm, where he shall rule the rock and core of the new earth.
[pays Norn Favor]

Furthermore, I will twist the hairs on the giant into trees, vines, and plants. From the plants, I will awaken certain ones and give them a core like the earth's and mobility like the wind's. From two trees, I will awaken human people. I will teach them, at first, only what is absolutely necessary, and I will awaken them on the borders of hospitable land, up toward the ice. That way they might learn something and grow up tough.

Triday

This expends your Eitr Exposure.

The remaining frost giants are of course reproducing rapidly, filling the gap left by Ymir. They lose in individual status, but have certainly kept up their strength of numbers. They continue to take Strength and Cold domains.
[Bregelmir's worship goes up on his campaign Facet. Favor to him.]

Tetday

ODIN

Bregelmir, are there any among your clan who might help me rule this planet according to my philosophies? I'd want them to think as I do. It may take some relearning but it's worth it. And you yourself are also welcome, naturally.
I'm open to suggestions from everyone. PM me.

I will be wandering the planet as its population grows, checking to make sure they are helpful too each other. I think the combination of tough environment and plentiful helping hands will make them into the best of sorts. I plan to have them know me, and to occasionally rely on me, but to rely on their wits more. The forging of iron I will teach them, and the ability to mimic the sun's power with flame.

Pentday

BREGELMIR

Actually, Odin...
I do think I've learned from you. I've learned that people are power too. But you aren't the clear wisest mirror on the wall. I've got some kind of different ideas.

[purchases Charisma domain - pays DM Favor]

I approach the remnants of my clan. I show them the world Odin has made, and I bring those who are willing (people who need more room or want to explore) and let them live off it's resources. We'll keep to the extremest cold regions, but if Odin wants those back he'll have to fight. I promise the giants that Odin's people will do lots of the work to feed them, with raids every once in a while. If Odin wants to stop that, he'll have to fight. Gungnir can't do much against numbers. Any giants that remain in Ymir's old land (Is it refreezing?) are fine, but I want to also get some of them under my leadership.

Hexday

Domain: Charisma
Tier: Worldcrafter vs Mixed
Circumstances: Missing Place in Hearts
Insight: Promise Them Anything
Item: Steep Gapbar

The giants flock to your leadership, Bregelmir. They, like Odin, are looking for a new world. Seems like they found it in a new place.
The wastelands of Ymir would have refrozen immediately. Literally and metaphorically, Odin's new world will need to be constantly freed from the cold which envelopes it. An entire pack of Steep Wolves dedicate themselves to chasing the Sun and Moon across the dome of the sky, leaving imperceptible tracks in the eitr layer. Giants bicker with humans, who can barely forge a living, and advance in technology slowly once they reach the age of weaponcraft.

Heptday

DURIN

My people and I will fan the flame of that weaponcraft, with the salt of the Earth. We will also teach them beauty and the love of SHINY.

Hrairday

ODIN	The flames of the Sun and the Moon, at the points where I set them, will frame the Ginungagap in the distance. In other words, this world is between Gap and Niflheim, so it will be called Midgard. Hrairday

BREGELMIR

I make a martial society. Not like the army but using less organized attacks. Anyway, most things will be decided by power instead of setup. We send bits of the bones of Ymir up to the Frozen Wastes.

I am also sponsoring for godhood, Jord.
[pays Norn Favor]

Hrairday

JORD	I am a giantess, adapted for the cold. Unlike many of Ymir's brood, I am fair and pretty, dexterous and lithe, thoughtful and wise. Hrairday

BREGELMIR

I summon an ice storm from the land with the Gabpar. I pry ice up from the grou.d. It never stops and it shields me and the giants from anyone watching.

Hapday

War ravages the Steep Midgard world, but mankind stays strong. They take shelter in caves, find treasure in old dwarven burrows and unearth the banes left by Ymir's body. The world is yours to command, Odin, but the Flaw of Evil has bespoken itself in the Facet of your world on the Diamond, and it is a part of the Diamond now and must abide by its rules. Create and imagine, Diamondbrothers Bregelmir and Odin.

/msg Jord: What plans do you have for your character?

Hapday

JORD	I was actually originally planning to work to improve this wasteland, but now I am starting to have interest in the world of Odin. Would it be possible to switch sides a bit once apotheosification? takes place?

/msg Jord: Your apotheosis sponsor owns a bit of your Favor, remember. Other than that, there are no restrictions.

Hapday

JORD	/msg DM: Alright. I'm hoping to come across as a magnanimous goddess, sort of a foil to the jotuns. Hapday

/msg Jord: Good. Bregelmir should be happy with that; I think that is similar to what he's trying to do - he's a middle ground between Odin and Ymir, while it sounds like you wish to be closer to Odin.
I have news for you to bear, a warning to Odin about his world.
Tell him that Nidhogg, the Dragon of Destruction, the mightiest foe he will ever face, chews at the roots of the mountains of Midgard, threatening to topple it. A day of reckoning for the gods comes, far in the future, when the fair gods betray their oaths and go to meet their fates at the hands of their enemies. Nidhogg will play a very large part in this final reckoning.

Biday

ODIN	With a less hostile world established, I am going to form my realm of Asgard. Its entrance is a rainbow bridge which burns the feet of frost giants. Triday

BREGELMIR

And I raise mountain ranges all around my realm in the Frozen Wastes using the Steep Gabpar. I call the inside Jotunheim. It means home of the giants. My followers will fortify in the mountains and rocky areas, even above the ice storm I made.

Tetday

DM	This realm creation ends your Eitr Exposure. Tetday

ODIN	I enter Jotunheim and seek out any Jotuns who aren't ugly and angry. Can my wolves scent out emotions? Tetday

Your wolves at first sniff hopefully in one direction. Then their attention is diverted in another direction, and immediately they put their shaggy tails between their legs and hurl their huge bulk in flight - away from whatever they smelled.

Bregelmir, you find that a selective breach exists between your icy realm and Midgard, and the frost giants sometimes find themselves wandering into Midgard, bringing harsh winters there. You yourself and other high tier gods are unable to pass through - it seems to only work for those pure elementals.

Tetday

ODIN	I leave this realm for my own. Tetday

BREGELMIR

/msg DM
I set a watch against Odin's entrance. They are not to do anything, but I want to make sure he's not sneaking in here without my knowledge.

Tetday

Bregelmir, you would be aware of his comings and goings in essentially any situation. It is difficult to hide the power of a god from the very ruler of a realm. The mundane watch could help if someone found a way around the divine sight.

Odin, your world is gaining in population all the time. The diversity is high, and getting higher. Jotuns occasionally mix with humans and create new breeds, or half-breeds. These sometimes have a lot of power, and are often entirely unlike either jotun or human. Certain lizardlike races even make their home on the dome of the sky, clinging to its razor-thin Eitr layer with sticky pads on their feet. The dividing line on the Diamond between the Steep Midgard, Asgard, and Jotunheim is becoming sharper, and those strange travelers who journey to the most mysterious parts of the North find themselves living in new Facets altogether.

A race of elflike folk spring up on their own Facet.
A race of fiery beings spring from Durin's kin onto their own Facet.
The most powerful dead find themselves on a Facet only for the dead.

Tetday

ODIN	"Durin, I have a deal to propose. I'll give you double value Odinfavor if you'll go in with me for some itemcraft." {/msg Durin I want to build a chair from which I can see throughout all the Facets nearby, and in which only I can sit.} Pentday

DURIN

{/msg Odin Sure!}
[pays DM Favor]

Hexday

ODIN	[transfers Odin Favor] Hexday

ODIN

This is the High Seat, in which only I can sit without repercussion, and from which I can see all of Asgard, Midgard, the Facet of Fire and the Facet of the elves, and into Niflheim and Jotunheim, and even into the Facet of the Dead.

Now, I look in the direction the Wolves were afraid of. Then in the direction they actually wanted to go.

Hexday

You see nothing in that direction but an unusual jotun: A woman, comely, with her golden hair trailing all the way down her back, is staring peacefully at the ground beneath her. She scarcely moves, and when she does it is slow and graceful. She reflects a faint light from the ice around her.

You also know, from your divinatory item, that Bregelmir has not been idle - all kinds of Wolves have been breeding, untroubled by the Light from above, and the giants are everywhere like ants, building halls and cities and multiplying as they did when Ymir lived - only many times more giants to spread seed.

Heptday

ODIN	I go up and talk to her. "M'lady, I am Odin, ruler of Midgard and Asgard. Who are thy mother and father, and upon what do you reflect?" Hrairday

JORD	Before you can get a word out, she surprises you by slamming you in a headlock. She still seems, as best you can tell from your upside down position, to be staring at the ground. Hrairday

ODIN	"M'lady?...What has thee so...engrossed? I am Odin, the chief god of Midgard and Asgard - perhaps I can do something for you?" Hrairday

JORD

"Lord Odin... Ahhh, I am listening to the wind which howls between these icy wastes and the Earth. It is not happy, Odin. The Wind cries for the Earth, for the Earth has no one to take care of it, to listen to its sighs and griefs at the evil inside it. Yes, you, Lord Odin, are a caretaker for the people of Midgard, but the Land itself has no mother."

Here she grows angry, and pulses of energy piledrive into the floes around the two of you. The ice buckles cautiously, and a pair of waterspouts swimming with serpents spurt up high into the aether.

"There is a dragon chewing at the roots of the mountains of Midgard, Odin. A dreadful foe named Nidhogg, the Dragon of Destruction. In the center he has caroused drunkenly, drunk on the sap of the Earth. He longs for the destruction of the planet, that he may consume the fresh carrion of its remains. He must be slain, ere that day comes, or all your efforts will be laid to waste, Lord of the Gods."

"I request that you make me that caretaker... that Earth Mother."

Hrairday

ODIN	/msg DM, Jord: What exactly is Jord asking? Does she merely need permission, or does she want me to advance her domain? Hapday

JORD	/msg Odin: I have enough to purchase 2 Earth domains. I just want to be allies in this. Triday

BREGELMIR

/msg DM
If she accepts, I am going to try really hard to find a weakness in her. She'll be watched every time she leaves Asgard.

Tetday

DM	/msg Odin, Jord: Jord will benefit directly from a Circumstance of Sharing the Homefront if you grant her that permission. Pentday

JORD	Please? Please, my Lord Odin? I believe our goals align. Hexday

ODIN

"That they do, M'lady, I hope. I will return momentarily after some reflection.

"I will accept thy offer; nay, I will go beyond that! Thou art a jotun still, and I would keep thee close where thou can be watched. I would make thee my wife, Jord."

I bring her the fresh, bloody head of a big male Steep Wolf. I bow and recite this poem while playing badly on a skaldic instrument:

"Jord, Jotunness, fairest in brutal beauty,
When we two first met, thou grappled me fiercely,
Thy metaphysical muscles betray thy secret wisdom
And wrestle my horse-heart to thy breast.
I ask thee to be my concubine until Ragnarok rends us
As it rends the Earth I grant thee for dowry."

Hexday

JORD	"I accept, Lord Odin." Hexday

ODIN

"Good. As a wedding present, allow me to raise thee to the rank of the Steepest of gods. I will do this for thy Favor."
I have enough DM favor to raise Jord to Steepest tier, and I request one full JordFavor in return.

Meanwhile, I still have one more direction to explore. What lies that way?

Heptday

Off in the direction the wolves indicate, you see another jotun of less vitriol. He is white-haired and long-lived, clearly cunning and clever of hands and mind, and you are hard-pressed to follow his tracks in finding his hiding place. He tends a fire in which he burns the branches of a special tree with wafer-thin slices of diamond for leaves, and bronze agates plating the bark. The tree towers over the mountains of the Frozen Wastes, and you see no sign of root buttressing. Frost coats its branches heavily, and no lesser tree would survive the climate. This giant's fire is blazing mightily, and you see that its magical heat goes into the keeping of a small, crystal-clear pool melted in the ice. Translucent shorebirds wander its perimeter.
The giant introduces himself as Mimir, the guardian of the Pool of Wishes.

Heptday

Durin, when word of Nidhogg reaches the ears of your people, they begin to worry. Their tunnels grow deeper as time passes lazily by, and they do not wish to disturb the horror beneath. However, their way of life depends on the discovery of new veins for ore and gems. They wish for you to provide a way to learn more of this Dragon, or to somehow ensure he will not bother them.

Heptday

ODIN	Mimir, what must one do to drink from this Pool of Wishes? Heptday

"Odin. There is something you can do for me. Myself and some friends of mine have a bet-"
Here, a troupe of ladies of varying ages and steps of life come parading out from the far side of the great tree, giggling and squabbling and scrabbling at each other. It is obvious they are the "friends" and are greatly amused by the situation.
"Myself and these friends, I say, have a bet as to whether Plantain or Betony comes first when most effectively reciting the Nine Herbs Charm. This charm is of utmost potence. We cannot settle our agreement, and so we seek mechanical assistance.
If you will seek and return to me the Brazen Head, which can answer my question, I will allow you to drink from the Well of Wishes."

"The Brazen Head is crafted of bronze with brass fittings. It is powered by mechanics, but enabled to knowledge through magical means. It can be found in the treasure hoard of Earnaness - a spawn of Nidhogg, the Dragon of Destruction who worms his way around many deep leagues beneath this very tree. Earnaness is a dragon of abyssal noxiousness, his weapons of poison breath and fatal claw equally deadly. He lives in a forest of rapidly growing trees, in whose destruction he relishes."

Heptday

NORNS

"Aye, Odin, and mark that you do not fall. Our Tree will benefit greatly from the Nine Herbs Charm, but we Fates are limited in what we choose to do, though we control the destiny of all. You will not have our protection on this quest."

Hrairday

BREGELMIR

/msg DM: While Odin is questing, I've been working on my campaign world. I've only got a few players and we haven't been playing long enough for me to write a summary. We're playing 3rd edition. What do I get from that?

DM	/msg Bregelmir: There's a few things I'd like for you to report on anyway, Bregelmir. What gods and forms of worship are happening? I'd also like to know a brief thing or two about the PCs once they reach significantly high level.

BREGELMIR

/msg DM: I've named the head god Bregelmir, after me and he has the most worshippers. Then I'm using the Egyptian pantheon but with Set replaced with Odin, Bregelmir's enemy.

Hrairday

DM	/msg Bregelmir: Naturally this Odin and Bregelmir are not as Steep as either of you. I'll certainly recognize them on the Diamond though, as nonplayer character gods. Hrairday

DURIN

Odin, Jord, allow I to present to you your wedding gift. It is a weapon fit for the defender of the Earth - a magic sword, forged with all our dwarven skill. It need no' be held - Its chief power is to attack or defend of its own right. It also has many a gnomish enchantment, and decoration and testing from many creatures in my realm, which should make it hit much better.
The entire hilt is put together so it can be resized for any hand. The cross-guard is made of a mithril alloy which doesn't detract from the balance but is unbreakable, and should be excellent for stopping the blows of others. The fuller of the blade is lined with the same material. This will make the shear strain on the neutral axis nearly nonexistent. Trust I, this is the best spec'd sword in all of the Diamond, excepting the blade of the Diamond Master himself.

Hapday

JORD	Well thanks Durin! This is really cool! Only...why does it have all these features for balance when it wields itself? Hapday

DURIN

Odin, you're on a quest to slay a dragon? Do you want I along? I'll no' sit around doing nothing while you partake in a quest that is rightly mine - I too've been tasked with securing the realm against dragons.

Hapday

ODIN	Very Well. I sit in my high seat, and look for a place where trees are disappearing and reappearing. To the Norns: "Why art thou limited? Isn't Fate the ultimate power? Even the Steepest of us are subject to it." Hapday

DURIN

And I assign dwarves to listen for the rumbling of large beasties above, and perhaps build some mechanical seismographs if Odin has trouble.

Biday

Odin is having some difficulty - he thinks something is thwarting his efforts, because as soon as he sets his sights on a forest, dense mist and fog will always congregate on the spot.

Durin, you have some success at first - but then you realize as you coordinate with Odin that the vibrations your diggers feel are always wherever Odin is seeing the mist, but vanishes the instant Odin looks somewhere else. The speed at which the shift occurs is uncanny.

Biday

ODIN	Damn. I will focus my efforts on trying to track anything moving between them - I suspect this is the dragon's work, and he doesn't want us near his lair. Triday

NORNS

"We have pondered your question, and return with another. Isn't Fortune the ultimate power? The spin of things is beyond us, though we may seem omnipotent. Isn't Power the Ultimate Power? Our existence is subject to the Power of the Diamond, and that is subject to the Diamond Master. At the same time, of course, he is subject to us - for even gods may not defy their fate when it calls.
To the gods, Time and Destiny are a cone: events change in substance, in breadth, as mortals and immortals make decisions. The decisions of the gods may easily thunder upward in the spiral of Time, affecting future cycles. Ultimately, of course, the outcome is the same and predictable - a cone is made of circles, time spins, mortals travel its circuits more simply. Immortals are tricky, but still manipulable.

Fair Odin, you should know that the wisest of the gods know that even the cone is a mere deception: As events travel the fabric of true reality, the cone too changes in size, just as the size changes for a slice of a cone depending on the height at which you slice it. Thus may we measure things hidden to mortals, but there are things hidden to everyone: things that can only be deduced."

Tetday

DURIN

I've got another idea then. But it's not I going to be using it - the air is no place for a ground-dweller. I craft a suit or cloak of feathers, made from Eagle and Owl for absolute swiftness and silence. This suit can travel at the speed of a thunderbolt and couldn't be heard by a bat - or any otyher creater. And I will add it to Jord's wedding gift - this suit deserves a feminine touch and is more fitting than a sword.

Pentday

JORD	Otyher creater? Hexday

DURIN

Haha, sorry, slip of the tongue. I don't know how I did that.

Hexday

JORD

Not to be derogatory. This is a most excellent gift. Though it may be rude of me to do this, please think of it as an investment - all of us good guys will benefit from your item-crafting.
Please, tell the Diamond Master that I recommend you highly, when you're praying to him for item crafting.
[gifts her leftover favor]

Ok, I'll take this plunge. I put on the suit - hopefully it works.

Hexday

Please feel free to act out a few actions in one post or without input from another player - if anything needs to be corrected, it will be dealt with and anything you've posted will simply be ironed out of the timeline by the Fates. It's ok to assume in your posts that your allies are allies. On the other hand, I don't recommend revealing information which is contingent on the actions of others.

Durin hasn't sent me anything to the contrary - I will let him describe how it functions, if he wishes.

Heptday

DURIN

I have the suit set up to immediately make the wearer feel light on her feet. Flight would be useless to a god without instant reaction capabilities as well as unlimited maneuverability. I have balanced each feather individually with a special tool which progressively alters its owning tuning functions. The controls will grip your skin comfortably and without invasion, as they work on fields of sensation rather than on neural stimulation. It's also wholly intuitive: the tail automatically shifts to take maximal advantage of the wind, and the wings are run directly off of your arms. I may be able to patch in a nasty claw attack later if it's needed, but the carrying capacity of a bird's talons seemed good enough to I, so that's what's in there now. Please keep all arms and legs inside the cloak at all times.

Heptday

JORD

Cool. I take off in the cloak of feathers and try a few things: Swooping through the mists, trying to see something unusual. Using the wings and speed on this suit to blow away the mists. Coordinating with "my dear" Odin, which is like he looks in one place and plans to look in another and I fly the line between them.

Oh and I want to be ready to fly away at full speed as soon as any dragon notices me.

Heptday

BREGELMIR

I've bid my time; and I've gathered power; and i've tended my own world, and I've worked for the Diamond. Now I pray to the Diamond itself to give me the Steep Wolves. I sick some of them on Asgard! Go!
[pays DM Favor - reality revision]

Hrairday

DURIN

I and my dwarves assist in the calculations and coordination.

Hrairday

The Wolves, mighty as gods, swarm up the rainbow bridge, going where their masters cannot go. They begin to nip at the heels of those who wander among the golden halls of Asgard, playing with their food...but occasionally one goes for the kill. The crafty animals work very intelligently; Odin from his high throne can see them forming into gigantic packs for taking on the most powerful Asgardians.

Jord, it is fortunate for you that you have so many tactics to try out. You see not one, but four distinct dragons in your quest. Each is different:
-On a flyby, you glimpse a wyrm with no eyes but tough clubbed ears, a snout of dialating nostrils, and gigantic claws like a mole's. It immediately burrows underground, leaving the ground marred but clearly not soft.
-Later, you see a smaller silver beast zipping about like mercury through the air, his scale shape and wings letting him rival the cloak Durin has made for you. This one takes off to fly high above the land, higher than is Asgard, and take refuge in a cloud bank.
-In your coordinations with Durin and Odin, you finally clear away some mists at just the right time, to reveal a green dragon just landing on a hoard piled up amidst a pyre of burning trees. The gold gleaming in the pile is unhurt by the flames; several items worth many a mortal kingdom are heaped up here, and you even manage to spot a head crafted of bronze amidst the pile: the very artifact Odin seeks.
-But worst of all, you see the very largest dragon of the lot, his scales a burnished red and fire swimming up his back like a crest. He stands at the very edge of the mist, weaving spells of confusion, speed, and mystery, carving the earth with his claws into runes you do not understand which glow with eldritch strength and summon the mist. Owls and woodpeckers flock about him, using the wood he's destroyed.
You turn to flee immediately, and Nidhogg craftily does not pursue: he merely bares his teeth, launches a burgeoning fireball of increasing size, and fades into nothing, leaving his pentagram to defend his spawn.
The fires wheel straight at you as you fly as fast as you can. Speed alone will not be enough, though your maneuvaribility might help you out...

Hrairday

BREGELMIR

I can't climb that bridge, right? Instead, I hurl bolts of frost in a giant catapult thing. It uses the Steep Gapbar as a lever/launch thing.

The giants also make sure that no one sets foot on the Frozen Wastes.

Hrairday

DM	That won't be very accurate, but it will certainly create some confusion, and has a small chance of doing some great damage in a vital spot. Hapday

BREGELMIR

Oo! Too, I shoot bolts every once in a while at Jord as she flies around.

Biday

ODIN	I throw Gungnir over and over to help her out! I'll smash those bolts and if Bregelmir isn't careful I'll hit him too! Traitor!!! Biday

JORD	Verily, thou art a traitor! I swear to fight thee! Thou shalt not take up arms against my love! Biday

BREGELMIR

You're a traitor yourself, Jord! I brought you here! You're a giant like i am!

Biday

JORD	It would be highest treachery if I were to do anything other than seek to succor my love! Biday

ODIN

Enough! To battle! I think we have the numbers, though maybe not the best domains. Everyone, hit the dragons and the wolves! I rally the troops within Asgard, and decree that from now on anyone strong and good who dies on Midgard will be diverted from the Facet of the dead to Asgard instead. There they will fight for me when Asgard is oppressed! Those troops I do have will dig in. Jord or I will bring the sword in our fights and try it out!

Triday

JORD	I'm going to dive as quickly as possible in the direction of the ice fields and devote everything to really quick evading this fireball! Tetday

ODIN

I think you can get away. When the wolf packs form I will throw my spear through as many wolves as possible in one hit! Also my two wolves are gonna infiltrate the Wolf ranks, if that's possible. Confuse them.

And now we know where Earnaness is! I will enter melee with Gungnir there too. It's fine if Nidhogg flees.

Tetday

+Jord vs Nidhogg+
Tier: Steepest vs Steepest
Domain: Earth vs Fire and Destruction (which are both applicable)
Equipment: Cloak of Feathers vs None
Circumstance: None vs None
Spell: None vs Runic Buff
Allies: Odin (higher tier) vs Bregelmir (who has been preparing for Jord's death)
Insight: Readied evasion vs none
This is really close so I'm going to have a roll.

Tetday

JORD	[submits roll] Pentday

LADY	Jord rolls 7 Nidhogg rolls 16 Pentday

Odin, you see Jord enveloped in putrid fires. Her cloak smoulders and she begins to lose control. You can see burns across much of her beautiful skin, now exposed. Fortunately for her, she has already veered toward the ice - the fire clings to her form and burns for much longer than it should, and only the strength of the Frozen Waste's cold can put it out without further damage.

Your wolves are successful at infiltrating the enemy wolves - but you worry that your allies won't be able to tell the difference.

The Wolves vastly outnumber your forces, as you have only a token amount of guards, and each Steep Wolf alone is perfectly capable of taking out one of your men who are not Steepest Tier.

Your spear does bite magically into Earnaness, but he has an incredible will of life, and it is not always that you have the opportunity to dodge the poison gas. The gas, which Earnaness is constantly emitting in a noxious roar or sometimes as a mere afterthought to a sweep of his claws, is slowing you down considerably and making it hard to breath. Saliva drips from your mouth, and every wound on you and Earnaness both makes it the poison more effective.

Hexday

JORD	I'll dump the feathers off and run to Odin. I weave a spell which will fill him with the regeneration of newly planted fields after a sweet, sweet rain! As Nature balances everything out, so shall Odin's body! I'll strike at that miasma of poison with my spells of air! Heptday

+Odin vs Earnaness+
Tier: Steepest vs Steepest
Domains: Hunt vs Combat and Poison
Equipment: Gungnir vs none
Circumstance: None vs Home Field Advantage
Spells: Invigorative Buff vs Somatic Poisoning
Allies: Durin, Jord (who has the Sword) vs none

A clear advantage is held by Earnaness. With one particularly well-placed strike, she punctures your left eye straight through with her poisoned talon, rendering your left eye socket useless and rotting. If it weren't for Jord's spells and Durin's protective sword, you would probably be dead, Lord Odin.

Heptday

ODIN	I call for my son Thor! He is the Lord of Thunder and is as strong as a hurricane! His fists are powerful enough to punch through steel! [pays Norn Favor] I want to continue to fight the Wolves in Asgard, and Thor will help me out with this dragon. Heptday

JORD	And I'll sponsor someone too. Can I find any other jotunns like me, who don't really side with Bregelmir? Hrairday

BREGELMIR

I'm outnumbered. I'll run away from any fight that gets brought to me, but I'm going to keep on going with this catapult thing. Too, I'll bring in some Wolves to watch my back. Watch my back, Wolves!

Hrairday

DM	Jord, you remember one from your time in Jotunheim. He wishes to be sponsored to godhood. He is handsome and nimble, unlike the other giants, and craves warmth and riches as can be found in Asgard. Hrairday

JORD	Actually looking at it again I don't have the power to do that right now. I'm really close so maybe after this blows over. I'll just do some guerilla action wherever its needed. Hrairday

THOR	Baha! I rush in with a ball of thunder, shooting bolts at thee, Earnaness, and striking thee with my fists! I'll also enter combat with the Wolves...in Asgard! Hapday

With Thor on your side, the battles go much faster. Thor strikes well in both lightning and fist, but the dragon returns fire with poison gas. Thor, there's only so long you can go before you succumb - though you are far more apt for this task than is Odin. You are not entirely sure you'll take the dragon down before you pass unconscious. Your allies will surely finish off any work you don't complete, however.

Biday

THOR	An easy fix! I grapple the dragon's neck and don't point it toward myself! Biday

ODIN	I will put my wisdom to good use, in determining tactics for the Asgardian fields, now that an excellent fighter is on the scene. I want to design these tactics to rely on Thor only as a force of strength, not as a force of finesse. Biday

With your strength I see no reason why that wouldn't work. Standing as broad and as tall as the dragon, Thor points the serpentine head away from himself like a nozzle. Earnaness attempts to break free and bit, but can only claw at Thor's chest with front feet.

+Thor vs Earnaness+
Tier: Steepest vs Steepest
Domains: Lightning, Str 3 vs Poison, Str 2
Weakness: Mental vs None
Equipment: None vs None
Circumstance: None vs Place of Wreckreation
Spell: Buffed (Actively) vs Buffed (Passively)
Allies: Many vs Departed
Insight: Avoid the Poison vs None

Thor, if you wish to slay the dragon, you will need to roll a natural twenty success and it will need to fail to save itself. Otherwise it will merely fall into submission.

Triday

THOR	I go for it! I throttle this beast. [submits roll] Tetday

LADY	Thor rolls 15. No matter. I break whatever bones are freely breakable and scuff its scales. Then I keep it unconscious while the others make off with the loot! Pentday

DURIN

Do I know anything above and beyond what is obvious?

Pentday

The Brazen Head immediately requests that it be examined by Durin. Durin comes to understand the precise structuring of language which must be done in order to get the brass pathways in its metal brain to comprehend speech. Each of Thor, Durin, Jord, and Odin may ask one question of the Head before it needs recovery time. That still leaves space for Mimir's question.

The fighting in Asgard goes well too. The golden halls throng with the corpses of lesser gods, though many will make full recoveries. Only those whose pieces are swallowed by wolves won't be returning to join us. Thor will lead this combat as well because he's the most effective as a fighter, just before Odin.

+Thor vs Steep Wolves
Tier: Steepest vs Steepest
Domain: Strength 3 vs Cold, Strength
Weakness: Int (cancelled by Odin's Wisdom) vs Cowardice
Equipment: Gungnir vs none
Circumstance: Home Field Advantage vs Long Planned Campaign
Spell: Buffs vs None
Allies: Multiple Gods vs Tight Pack

You have a chance to defeat this Pack utterly and sweep clean Asgard forever. Durin is excluded from this combat as he has not mentioned being involved.

Pentday

JORD	I will set a great wind to blow away from Asgard, and then set the bodies alight in a great heap. I will set a message of hope for our allies and despair for our enemies upon that wind. [submits roll] Hexday

LADY	Wolves roll 2. Jord rolls 20. Hexday

You succeed in your elimination. Gungnir is thrown again and again, easily striking through multiple targets. The halls of Asgard are constructed for defense, and Odin does not find it difficult to coordinate an effective sweep of the area to pin the Wolves against the bulk of Thor.

A great body of ash rises from the pyre, and you count yourself lucky that you are upwind of it, as even the merest hints of it are acrid, bitter, and revolting.

Midgard feels this strange wind: Soot falls from the sky and blacks out the sun. They tremble in fear at the might of their betters, yet receives the message it brings into their hearts. They raise their worship to Odin the Father, and to Thor the Mighty, and to Jord of Hope, and you swell with strength and pride.

Heptday

ODIN	Let us make this a tradition every time we acheive a great victory: to put up a big smoke to put out the sun just for a time, so that everyone may know we are victorious. I also return the brazen head to Mimir. Hrairday

NORNS

Death approved.

Hrairday

Mimir is regretful that you have been harmed in fulfillment of his quest.
"One sip from the Well of Wishes should ease such a hurt. It will strengthen you in other ways as well, Father Odin, that are less dramatic. I will allow your companions a draught to produce these same effects. For what will you wish, Father Odin?"

Hrairday

NORNS

We quietly, in stark contrast to our earlier personality, come from the Tree and take the Brazen Head gravely from you, with a bow. Each of us dips a finger in the pool as they return to their hovel.
The last one to leave says to you "This Head means more than you know. It's power is greater than we told you at first. That power I will explain to you after you have asked your question."

Hrairday

ODIN	"Why won't you just tell me straight away?" I'm not going to make my wish until I know what the Norn's have to say about this. Hapday

NORNS

"The past is what can signal the present. The present is what can signal the future. We, the tenders of the Hypercone, the Great Tree, do not care to limit ourselves as the mere present does. Begone with you!"

Hapday

ODIN	I'm hoping they'll be more helpful later than, the hags. When we encountered Nidhogg, the monster was using runes to cast spells to hinder us. As it is my fate to fight Nidhogg again, I drink from the well and wish that I might understand all runes, all spells, and the ways of magic. Biday

DM	/msg Odin: The Well grants you two Magic domains. Triday

DURIN

I know I's question. I ask the Head what I and I's dwarves can do to be warned of the coming of Nidhogg? Will there be signs?

Tetday

JORD

I'm prepared to sponsor this god among giants who seeks the warmth of Asgard.
[transfers Norn Favor to Odin]

And my question to the head is what could I do to preserve my marriage with Odin and bear him lots of childern? ;)

/msg Jord: The Head speaks in a warm, knowing voice, and tells you that adventure and excitement are the spice of the Steepest relationships. It is also possible to have some reign over affection, and these ways the Head also teaches you. You gain a small fraction of Odin Favor and a small fraction of Norn Favor.

/msg Odin: Lately, Jord has been quite adept at getting gifts she wants. I have transferred a small fraction of Odin Favor to Jord because of what she's learned from the Head.

/msg Durin: The Head speaks in a cool, collected, calculated voice, and tells you that you must build a massive horn from the pinions of an Asgardian rooster, the pinion of an Eagle from the top of the Cold Tree of the Norns, and a scale from a dragon. You are given DM Favor to help you in this quest.

Pentday

BREGELMIR

I bring with me the newly ascended Morgase, Goddess of Dominating Magic from the realm of Bregelmir. She has already defeated the Odin of my realm, and now comes to ensnare Steepest Odin!
Morgase, please teleport me to Asgard.

Hexday

MORGASE

Done! I cast a magnificent flight spell on Bregelmir. It's so fast that its' as good as teleportation, and can arch high into space and plop right into Asgard. Bregelmir has told me all about it, in dreams before I gained heaven, and I follow him in a whirl of bright colors!

Along the way I instantly cast ensnaring shields on the two of us, and a blinding energy!

Heptday

BREGELMIR

Powering up domains, increasing Combat domain significantly.
[pays DM Favor]

Hrairday

THOR

I tie the dragon to the trees he liked destroying. A bunch of them, all tied together into one gigantic bundle. I use my own beard hair to do it!

Hey, I'll make that my question too while I'm at it. How can a dragon be killed permanently?

Wait wait wait! Bregelmir's guys in Asgard? I'm not allowing that. I attack, going for the woman first, without any hesitation! I'm not leaving her time to get things to go her way.

Hrairday

Indeed, a beautiful dark-haired woman and Bregelmir have found their way into the heart of Asgard. Their coming is known instantly to all in the realm.

+Thor vs Morgase+
Tier: Steepest vs Campaign
Domain: Str 3 vs Magic 3
Weakness: Int vs Health
Equipment: None vs None
Circumstance: Home Field Advantage vs Planned Assault
Spell: None vs Shield, Blindness
Allies: None vs Bregelmir
Insight: None vs None

Thor, you charge into melee with the woman. You are blinded as your fists strike her, but your strength and size are great enough that Morgase, you are thrown to the ground and pinned beneath Thor, entirely at his mercy even in blindness. You are unharmed, though...unless Thor is lucky enough to find a way through your shield.

/msg Thor: The Head answers in a steely voice as hard as iron. The key to slaying dragons is having luck on your side, in striking just the right spot, and having a circumstance all set up. You are given a small fraction of Lady Favor to assist you next time you fight a dragon, or for whatever you may need of it.

Hrairday

THOR	Oh yeah I'm going for the kill! I've still got Bregelmir to deal with I'm not leaving this girl alive too! [submits roll] Hrairday

LADY	Thor rolls 18. Hapday

MORGASE

You louse! Great size is nothing!

Biday

ODIN	Thor! I command you not to make this attempt on her life. Think before you act, my son! Biday

THOR	No. I'm blind, so I'm not leaving this spot. And I'm keeping her with me. Biday

MORGASE

I scream to Bregelmir for help. I also cast a spell to make me go ghostly.

Triday

DM	It's pretty difficult for you to enchant yourself while under all of Thor, but your skill with magic is enough. However, the Steeper Thor will have one shot to pull you back into the world of the solid, if he wishes to take it. Tetday

THOR	Yes I take it! [submits roll] Tetday

LADY	Thor rolls 17. Tetday

DM	Morgase, at the last possible second you feel Thor's giant hand clamp down on your skirts as they pass into nothingness...or almost do so. You're jolted back to reality in small steps. Pentday

ODIN	Thor, no. I issue this as a command. You're my son. You owe me respect. Pentday

THOR	I attack again. [submits roll] Pentday

MORGASE

I'm leaving with all my resources. Is Bregelmir helping?

Hexday

DM	It is assumed that he is helping. He hasn't been active in awhile. If he comes up with a trick within a reasonable time even after reality has been moderated (by anyone other than a Norn) then reality will be revised accordingly. Please make a roll now, Morgase. Hexday

MORGASE

[submits roll]

Hexday

LADY	Thor rolls 20. Morgase rolls 4. Hexday

DM	The blind Thor knows not exactly what he is doing, but when his blindness clears, it is revealed that he has utterly disassembled the lesser Morgase. Heptday

THOR	Hahaha! YES! Hrairday

ODIN	Thor. You are my son. I brought you into this world and raised you without asking anything. Now, I will return to you the Favor from your birth if you will DO AS I SAY and leave that lady alive for questioning! Don't you realize that it'd be great to have a prisoner from another Facet? Hrairday

THOR	That's a deal. I'm not going to stop you from wasting such things. If Odin pays back all the Favor on me he has, I'll refrain from killing Morgase. Hrairday

DM	Instead of disassembling Morgase, Thor has pushed enough blood to her head that she passes out. Hrairday

BREGELMIR

Thanks, Odin. I'm outta here though. I grab Morgase and run to the edge of Asgard, where I'm going to jump off.

Hapday

ODIN	Him I will not spare a vital wound. As he runs, I grab for Morgase, trying to restrain her on Asgardian soil. Then, as he leaps, I spear him with Gungnir. Hapday

BREGELMIR

I fend him off with the same prybar he created himself. And I HURL myself before he has time to think.

Hrairday

Odin vs Bregelmir
Tier: Steepest vs Worldcrafter
Domain: Hunt vs Strength
Equipment: Gungnir vs Steep Prybar
Circumstance: None vs None
Spell: None vs Flight
Allies: None vs None
Insight: None vs Wisdom Takes Time

A close one - each of you have quite varied strengths. From sheer force of power, though, Bregelmir escapes with Morgase's life. Your spear, Odin, is true as ever and Bregelmir takes a vital wound. Would you like to attempt the kill?

Hrairday

ODIN	I have a better idea. I will let the spear hit Morgase in such a way that her flight and shielding are disrupted, using my knowledge of how magic works. Maybe I'll kill them both that way, or perhaps one will be left as my prisoner, which that would be even better. Hrairday

I have added this Insight to your stats, Odin.
Bregelmir, submit a roll. Your leap is perhaps a bit more committed than you expected: You feel your magical sustenance fade away. You feel a sharp tickling and realize blood is pumping out of a dissolving spear. You feel a rush of air and realize you are falling unassisted from the heights of Asgard, the rainbow bridge sparkling and burning brightly, out of reach and beyond grasp.

Hrairday

LADY	The ground rolls 13. Bregelmir rolls 13. Hapday

DM	Bregelmir, you hit the ground in a solid impact. Your massive giantish body shields Morgase but you are both utterly stunned by the impact. Asgardians quickly come to take you prisoner. Hapday

THOR	I will interrogate the prisoners. Don't worry, Odin, Dad, I'll play nice ; ) Biday

ODIN

Aye. Bregelmir is not as lofty as ourselves, but should still be treated with respect befitting a god. Our role as hosts shouldn't be made to play poorly against ourselves.
Let's get all our resources on this. I don't want to kill Bregelmir and I think it should be unnecessary. We need to solve this problem. I summon as many of the other gods as I can rustle up.

Oh yes, and I'll be taking the Gapbar back. A fine job you've done with it. Not.

Biday

DURIN

I believe I can be of assistance. I have taken some prescriptive measures of my environs and worked out a greater control of them. Using dwarven physiology and seismological technologies we mastered and optimized for long ago, I've come to wield rather godlike powers of control over the strongest and deepest of elements, Earth.

So I imprison Bregelmir with just his head above the ground before we wake him up.

Biday

BREGELMIR

Don't you get it? I have a realm to protect now. I can't talk without endangering my people. I'll show them a skyquake to rumble the mountains, so they know their god struggles to protect them!

Triday

THOR

Ah, but we have people to protect to! Who started this? Surely it was you or Odin. You're both old as dirt, here on the Diamond.

Begging pardon, Durin.

Those on Midgard are the only reason I'm not punching you to bits. What kind of example would that serve? However...at the moment I'm setting an example of diligence and will be guarding you day and night, Bregelmir. I'll also be making thunderbolts and getting them ready in my quiver of thunder.

Tetday

ODIN	Thank you for your help, Durin, Thor. I think I know the best solution. Bregelmir, do you feel entirely at our mercy yet? I'm sure we could try proving it. Tetday

BREGELMIR

Let me assure myself, ok? I'll worry about the guards in a second - I heave at the earth holding me.

In fact I throw it at those guards.

/msg DM:

What happens to my realm if I am killed?

Pentday

DURIN

An idea occurs to I. I seed the earth with ferrochemicals which require a source of ionization before restrictive reactions take place within them and they shrink down to 30% their original size, taking all matter close by along with them, tripling the imprisonment when lightning is used on the earth. It has also been laced with abrasives to cause pain if this should happen.
And then I raise my eyebrows at Bregelmir.

Hexday

BREGELMIR

Forget I said anything.

Heptday

/msg Bregelmir: There are opportunities for leadership to be transferred. The people may experience a huge shift in faith. However, there is no guarantee that this new faith would be in accordance with my plans, and your realm, without a proper member of the Diamond Pantheon ruling, would merely fade into the Facet of my dreams, and continue to function only metaphysically in that way.

Heptday

MORGASE

I've not been imprisoned, have I? I wave goodbye to Bregelmir as I reverse the flow of the magic that got me here.

Hrairday

BREGELMIR

Surrounded by traitors! You'd better be back for me. My realm, you included, will lapse into the chaos of dream if I am slain!

Hrairday

MORGASE

I don't think so - I'm part of the Diamond Pantehon now. As I understand it, my Favor will be affected by the loss of followers...but I'll still exist. And I went through too many hoops back in your world to get killed by these people who are more powerful than me. Read a book! Bye!

Hrairday

LOKI

I arrive at Asgard and seek out Jord.
"Milady! I am Loki, your humble servant! My primary domain is fire. I have come to offer you my assurance that if Bregelmir has harmed a hair on your gorgeous head, I will singe the hair off of his body and leave him to crawl through the icy wastes naked to the elements."

Hrairday

JORD	While we're piling enchantments on Bregelmir, I'm going to weave my support through everyone else. Loki, how nice to see you! Hapday

ODIN	I get a bad feeling about this. Especially since your name wasn't revealed until just now. Bregelmir, satisfied yet? Biday

LOKI	Have no fear. I am a Steeper Loki than they, (though not yet as Steep as yourself), not the fledgling tricksters you've heard of before. They try only to mock my existence. It is intelligence and passion that I seek to channel, not mischief. Triday

ODIN	Oh well then let's become blood brothers. Tetday

LOKI	Sure! Pentday

ODIN	I was kidding.... Hexday

LOKI	You don't have to fear me, All-Father. Thor could smash me in one blow I am sure. And let us not forget that I am beholden to your wife for sponsoring me to godhood. Heptday

DURIN

We'll see how the lad pans out. We've got enough people to take watches on Bregelmir. And our equipment. And the gates.
...on second thought, I think it's time I built a certain item. I'll be in my workshop designing specs. Be warned, Loki, that this item will not let you get away with anything.

Heptday

LOKI	What can you build that could stop me from achieving whatever I want to? I may not be strong, but I'm patient, smart, and probably just as good at crafting as you are! Hrairday

DURIN

I've checked your profile. Noticed you don't have crafting there? (And that you had a Trickery and a Magic domain you failed to mention). And where is a newly raised god like you going to get the skills and influence required to shape the fabric of the very Diamond itself? I've been around the spiral a few times. I know how this is supposed to go. But you have no chance! I'll take your bet before you give it. What are the conditions?

Hrairday

LOKI	Ah, Durin, you are truly long-lived. What could outlast the earth? Let's keep it simple. Each of us builds an item. Whichever sounds to a panel of deities to be more useful in the times to come is declared the winner. Build in secret. Hrairday

DURIN

What's the prize?

Hrairday

LOKI	Winner gets both items. Hapday

DURIN

Deal. Worst comes to worst I'll sell your item to the highest bidder.

Biday

ODIN

Bregelmir. We're willing to spare thy life. But we need a way to ensure a debacle like this won't occur again.
Thou art entirely at our mercy, and sooner our later we are going to find a way to deal thee a fatal blow.
This is my bargain: Give me one ENTIRE Favor with thee, and you'll be allowed back to thy home. Which is a wasteland, but I think it's better than death, don't you?
I'll be trying the Gapbar's abilities with prison-building if you decide not to agree with this bargain. And then I will be using Gungnir if that doesn't convince you.

Biday

LOKI	This enchantment I weave will guarantee the acquisition of both items to whoever is declared the winner. All the gods we can rustle up can be the judges. Of course you must have Odin look at this spell to ensure it does what I say. Biday

ODIN	I do check it, of course - from a safe distance. Triday

DM	/msg Loki What are the terms of the enchantment? /msg DM When a winner is decided, it teleports both items crafted for the competition instantly into the hands of that winner. The first two to place their right hands into the orb of the spell are defined as the competitors. Tetday

BREGELMIR

Curse you, Odin. Forcing me to choose signing over my control vs choosing my life.
I agree to the bargain.
[transfers 1.0 Bregelmir Favor]

Tetday

DM	/msg Odin: The spell works as advertised. The first two who place their hands into the spell's focus become eligible to have both items delivered to them when they are declared the winner. It is automatic in this way. Pentday

ODIN	The spell checks out - though it works on the first two who put their hands in it. We make sure it's Loki and Durin only that do that. Pentday

LOKI

/msg DM: I'm sure you saw this coming, sir, but I will be constantly attempting to sabotage Durin's item creation processes. I'm going to be there, in person but disguised as a small (heatproof) insect while turning up the heat in his forge at the same time. I want to see that dwarf sweat. Maybe catch his beard on fire. I'm looking out for number one as number one priority, however.

Hexday

ODIN

Loki, I'm sorry if this is a harsh welcome for thee. But I need to know some answers: Art thou really on our team? Tell me something of your resources: how much Favor are you planning to hold over our heads?

/msg DM: I'm cross referencing Loki's answer with the Brazen Head as my one question: how much Favor is in Loki's purse?

Heptday

DM	/msg Odin: He holds 55 DM Favor and 45 Norn Favor. Heptday

LOKI	Have you looked at my domains? I don't have any Favor to spare, after this item creation. Durin called it, All-Father. Newly raised god. Heptday

ODIN	I see. /msg Jord, Durin, Thor: I just caught Loki in a direct lie with the Brazen Head. What should we do? Hrairday

DURIN

/msg Odin: Not sure. Let me school him in this competition and then perhaps we can use whatever clever idea he cooked up, whatever item, as part of our op spec

/msgDM: I'm going to be forging a hammer. It is resistant to everything I can think to put into it. I plan to give it to Thor, so I've made it to channel lightning, but to especially absorb fire. It is so brokenly heavy that it allows flight when you throw it, and can cause earthquakes by slamming the ground. It's also enchanted to return to the wearer. Since Thor is the easiest way to rack up points, and this weapon is really optimized for him (and not Loki), and since I'm the god of craftsmen, I don't see how I can help but win.
[pays DM Favor]

Hrairday

DM	/msg Durin: Something goes awry during the creation process, though you'd swear you did nothing wrong. The forge flares in and out at odd times. Once, when the anvil should be cold, your beard drags across it and catches fire. Your work is being sabotaged. Hrairday

DURIN

Things are not going so well for I in the forge. Oddly, some *firey* incidents have been occuring. I'm simply going to seize doing any work while someone puts up a cold barrier around my forge while Loki is in a known position.

Hapday

ODIN	"Oh Bregelmir....surely thou wouldn't want me to cash in that Favor so soon? I might get irritable about it." Biday

BREGELMIR

There'll be a breaking point someday, Odin!
But I don't think I have to commit: why don't you use the Gapbar?

Triday

ODIN	You've got a point there. I raise a shield of cold to Durin's requirements, while Jord talks with her protege. Using the Gapbar. Triday

DURIN

And I go back to my forge. I will run double the amount of security checks I would normally make, and check on I's item's progress every once in a while when its convenient.
/msg DM: Could I perhaps pay a little extra favor to undo anything that might have been undone? If I win, the extra item will be worth the extra cost.
[pays DM Favor for item creation, reality revision]

Pentday

LOKI	/msg DM: I'm making a statue of Jord, as beautiful and flattering as I can make it. Oh, and it explodes with excessive fiery violence when it touches the hands of anyone with a beard. [pays DM Favor] Hexday

LOKI	Hmm...Jord, Thor, and Odin are all suspicious of me. The only one who is firmly opposed to them is Bregelmir and some psychotic dragons that probably won't get invited. This jury seems to be quite lacking in balance. Hexday

ODIN	God of mischief, thou should have thought of that first. But we will be unbiased - this is a jude of usefulness, and I give my word that we will give thy creation fair consideration. Hexday

LOKI	Ok, well, I guess I'll have to take that. It's really too bad though. I'm ready for the reveal. Is my worthy opponent? Heptday

DURIN

I'm still running some final tests.

Heptday

DM	/msg Durin: +Durin vs Loki?+ Tier: Steepest vs Steepest? Domain: Craft vs Trickery? Circumstance: Place of Crafting vs None? Insight: None vs Craft Checks Require Concentration Favor: Extra Edge vs None? A clear success by you, Durin. Your hammer will function exactly as advertised. Hrairday

DURIN

Ready for reveal. Assembled judges of Asgard, Bregelmir, this is the hammer Mjollnir. This hammer is spec'd toward weight as its primary attribute. The sheer mass allows for a number of interesting properties, like deflecting projectiles, acting as a major Class V heat sink, allowing flight via momentum application and trajectory calculation, causing thunderous earthquakes, etc. The haft is customizably balanced to be wielded with ease, though the head will act as a massively force-multiplier for great strength. It uses state of the art gravitics to return to whomever threw it.

Imagine such a weapon in the hands of the mighty Thunder God Thor, he of greatest strength, and I think you judges will declare I the winner. Smashing enemies, controlling weather, bulwarks of defense, all these things should be part of your considerations.

Hrairday

LOKI

And this is a sculpture, carved of finest marble and studded with finest diamond, artfully rendered into a likeness of my lady Jord. It brings her to your minds constantly: her beauty, the sexy way she moves, the artful poses she takes just asking you to bring her home. It is the very epitome of Jord's deportment and attractiveness.

Imagine bringing these images into the minds of your enemy, or placing it in Jord's quarters as a reminder of how lovely she is, or in the central square of Asgard as a display of power!

Hrairday

ODIN	The likeness may be very fine, but I'm not sure I see the efficacy of spending all that Favor on an enchanting statue. I guess we'll see what Jord thinks? Hrairday

THOR	Well, I like the hammer. And it didn't buy my vote anymore than Loki's item buys Jord's vote. Hapday

JORD	Actually, though I do like the statue, I think ti's a bit overdone for my taste. Unless I see a demonstration to change my mind, my vote's on Durin. Hapday

ODIN

I figure this is a good time to bring in another judge. I would like to introduce to thee Frey, the God of the Woods. He has traveled the worlds and ascended up from his days as a hero, though he was something of a deity then. Frey is sort of a varied fighter, using both sword and sorcery in his fighting. He comes from another place, though, so if Loki agrees to let him judge then I think he'll be a fair addition. he's been sponsored by me in a very similar to how you were sponsored by my wife.
[pays Norn Favor]

Hapday

FREY	If Loki agrees, I would also like to see the same demo Jord asked for. Hapday

BREGELMIR

Geez Loki. That's just a waste. I can't bring myself to vote for you either. Demo or Durin, I say.

Hapday

LOKI

I thought this might happen. Here is the true demonstration. Bear in mind this is not betrayal. I don't want anyone getting hurt, but this is the way the God of Trickery wins his battles and I know you'll make the right decision. This statue's true power is that it is a powerful fiery combustible. It's set to go off as soon as it touches Durin's hands. The spell I wove and Durin agreed to will ensure that it's delivered to his hands. All my strength for destruction is put into this item, as well as it being the true sink of all the Favor.

Declare me the winner and it will not go off, no one will be harmed. I might even be willing to sell that hammer to Thor. Remember who you are, Asgardians.
And if the lowlifes like Bregelmir still vote for Durin...well, that's scummy as gods can be. Your job, Asgardians, is to convince them otherwise, or figure out how to extract a hairy (yet oh so noble!) dwarf from all the infernos of a God of Fire and Mischief.

Now, what'll it be?

Biday

ODIN	I'm speechless. Biday

DURIN

You're speechless? I'm outraged! To think we'd back away from a risk like that!

Biday

ODIN	Wait, you still think we should vote you the winner? Biday

DURIN

My item is far more useful!

Biday

LOKI	You're missing the heart of the paradox here, Durin. My item is more useful by far because it nets me two items. I say this in all honesty and seriousness. Biday

DURIN

Yes, and if I win I only get the item I already made!

Triday

JORD	You're not earning yourself any favors here. I mean, aside from the great item you're getting. I vote for Loki...I can't do otherwise. Triday

ODIN	Same. Loki, this better not become a habit with you, or you'll end up like Bregelmir. Triday

LOKI	You may not believe me, but this really is just my solution to the puzzle. I mean Durin no hard feelings. Of course my threat IS quite serious. Tetday

ODIN	I'll have a look at the magic in this item. You didn't boobytrap it for anyone other than Durin, right? Right? Tetday

LOKI	Find out yourself Pentday

)

Pentday

ODIN	I'll be calling THAT bluff, my "Favorless" friend. Pentday

LOKI	What's that supposed to mean? Pentday

ODIN

I had an old friend check up on some accounts for me. You have plenty of resources. It's only because of your word and my alignment that I don't destroy you.

Thor, you are not to harm this antagonist either. He'd only turn it to his advantage and your strong enough to defend yourself without killing somebody.

Hexday

THOR	You don't have any leverage over me anymore. Sold it, remember? Anyway, I don't want to piss this guy off. I don't want to be on the bad side of a cheater like that. Heptday

LOKI	How...kind of you. Hrairday

THOR	I'm going to vote for Durin's safety as well. Here Loki, have an upvote. Hrairday

LOKI	I think that's enough time for votes, if Durin agrees. No hurry though. Hrairday

DURIN

It's fine, you bastard. I vote for Loki too and agree that judging is over. I'm not sticking around you guys any more though. You made a sham out of a contest that meant a lot to I. I'll be sticking to my caverns a lot more from now on. Call me if you need anything important.

Hrairday

BREGELMIR

I train up some frigate birds to act as spies. I take it over time, building up masses of them. My goal is to make it so that the Asgardians would have to kill every frigate bird just to stop me from seeing them.

Hapday

DURIN

I don't think they care that much. We outrank you, Bregelmir. And outpower you.

Biday

DM	The items go to Loki. /msg Bregelmir: In your constant surveillance, you notice a change in the weather on Midgard before the gods do. You know that the Asgardians need to do something about it. It's essentially a weather elemental ruining Midgard crops. Biday

BREGELMIR

[sells Creation domain, uses resultant DM Favor and some extra DM Favor for a Destruction domain]
Using only my fists, I weaken the foundation of Bifrost as much as I can. I don't expect to destroy it, because of its fiery power, but maybe by weakening the ground where it meets Midgard I can stop heavy reinforcements or Thors from walking on it.

Biday

The Asgardians notice something peculiar happening on Midgard. Weather patterns are changing drastically, and that means human crops are doing poorly. Odin, from his high seat, can see that this is caused by a looming elemental aberration, a drop of intelligence in living cloud, who seems to persecute wind and precipation with a passion. The godlike head of this elemental cloud will, as if performing a routine, puff up its cheeks and blow any threatening wind or rain away from its own body. It is borderline Asgardian in strength, easily something you could deal with, but the mortals are crying out to you in a body.

Triday

LOKI	I liquidate the magic of that statue and present just the statue to my lady Jord. [recovers half the paid Favor] Triday

THOR

No problem anyway, despite Bregelmir's crap. I don't have to deal with it personally - I can just imbue a heroic mortal with as much of my weather power as I dare give out. I choose a candidate based on how much they know about weather, how loyal they are to me, and how close they are to the elemental. I grant that person enough powerful spells to banish this thing. Guaranteed.

And then I'm coming for Bregelmir. Loki, start thinking about what you want for that hammer.

Tetday

That should work, Thor...in theory. However, as you are maintaining vigil in order to transfer power to your chosen priest, a shiver of foreboding runs up your spine. As the spell leaves your body in search of a host, a coil of sepia power boiling with brown gasses springs from nowhere and swallows what you know to be the spell you just cast. The wormlike thing spins to face you, and you can see that it has grown slightly since you first sighted it. A vortex opens like a mouth in the face of the eyeless stretch of brown, and, gaping wide, swings for you.

Tetday

THOR	Well Loki...what do you want for that hammer? I need it yesterday. Pentday

LOKI	Your protection. Be my bodyguard. I don't need a whole Favor from you or anything. Just your word as a guardian of Asgard, and a small fraction of your Favor in case things get sticky. Then the hammer is yorurs. Pentday

THOR	What would this protection entail? I'm not going to help you with plots like that Durin trick. I'm not going to save your neck when you stick it too far out into other people's business. Pentday

LOKI

How about this then? You give me five big chunks of Favor as coupons. I'll hold them until I need your services as a tank - you can turn down a request, of course, but I'll be making no promises not to sell the favor. It's no different than just paying me the larger chunk of Favor up front - but it will give you a bit of control over the situation.

Hexday

THOR	Ok, I'll make that deal. That is one nice hammer. Which is now mine. And I need it right now! [transfers 0.75 Thor Favor] I use the hammer to focus as much lightning as I can, right at the thing jumping at me! Hexday

LOKI

And I try to gauge the worm's intelligence! You said it is a coil of gas or power? Does it respond to my voice? "Leave my friend alone - we should speak together first, traveller from another dimension! We may have something to offer you."

At the same time, I'm sending firey miniature Loki's on rapidfire errands to bring all the other gods, and moving into spellcasting position!

Hexday

In a dark wispy voice, the serpent speaks without sound:
"I am the Abrominae, devourer of magic! Slight mage, your magics also I wish to possess! But I do not bargain. I simply take what I want. Up until the present time of Asgardian glory, magic was far too scarce to achieve my awakening.
And you have guessed rightly: I come from a Facet between Facets, where magic is scarce, and all is the Abrominae, boring through the fabric of the Diamond itself!"

It is still springing at Thor as it says this. A tremendous, focused blast of thunder rips from the massive hammer and plows into the center of the cloud!

Yet nothing happens...except the Abrominae grows significantly more beefy. Thor, you are swallowed, and feel the Abrominae slurping up the last vestiges of the Weather power you sent to Midgard.

+Thor vs Abrominae+
Tier: Steepest vs Meta
Domain: Strength vs Magic Consumption
Weakness: Mental vs Not Well Fed
Equipment: Mjolnir vs None
Circumstance: Home Field Advantage vs The Universe is my Home
Spell: It is assumed that Loki does not fire off his own spell. This can be revised.
Allies: Loki vs none

[submits roll]

Heptday

LADY	Abrominae rolls 11 Heptday

THOR	I switch to full melee fighting. I bust my way out of the stomach! Heptday

DM	The gas is acting like an odd ectoplasm - your hammer carves a hole as if you were carving flesh, yet the gas seals up again immediately with no sign of damage to the Abrominae. Thor feels quite drained of power. Heptday

JORD	I try a debuff on it. Hrairday

DM	A similar effect to Thor's lightning blast - the Abrominae swells and pulsates. It is swiveling from one spell source to another, like a snake about to strike. Hrairday

FREY	But the cold steel worked, huh? I'm going to join Thor with my sword and shield. Hrairday

JORD	Oh, good idea. I'll throw Durin's wedding present into the melee. Hrairday

THOR	The hammer didn't really seem to harm it I thought. It doesn't seem to hurt, though. Hapday

LOKI	I think we might be going about this all wrong. Fighgting with weapons does nothing. But spells make it swell up... it comes from a place of low magic... Asgard's power level is something new to the thing... it's vaguely flabby I suppose...anyone thinking what I'm thinking? Biday

THOR	Blow it up? I'm game to give it a try. I'll bust us all out if it grows to massive size and eats us all. Biday

LOKI	You're dry, remember? I propose that we all throw everything we've got at it, short of ourselves. Triday

THOR	Yes, let's do it. Loki you should also send one of those warning Loki's to Durin. Sound off if you're throwing as much magic as possible at the Abrominae? One! Triday

LOKI	Two Tetday

JORD	Three! Tetday

ODIN	I'm not sure it's a good idea. I'm going to try something first. The classic trick of polymorphing the air around it. I will try something to hold it, which I don't expect to work, and I'll try something damaging as well. Tetday

The Abrominae coughs raucously. It swallows most of your spell before it even gets close, but leaves just enough power that your spell completes and a thin wall of steel appears around its body. Next thing you know, shards of red-hot metal are flying off in all directions. You are anxiously shielding your eyes and Thor is picking bits of blackened iron out of his chest.

Tetday

ODIN	Four. Pentday

FREY	I'll pile on last if it looks like we're close. Pentday

LOKI	Bregelmir, you might want to help too. Pentday

The Abrominae swells up to vaster and vaster levels. As your magics get flowing, energy starts to whirl at increasing speeds around its wormlike body, and a vacuum field for magic becomes started. Your magic flows into the Abrominae faster than you want it to, until it is being sucked out of you at painful speeds. Frey backs up to secure his own magics from the tsunamai rushing into the whirling brown gases. At last, you are exhausted and trembling. With mere vestiges of magic remaining, you let the clouds settle.

The Abrominae is still there.

It starts deciding who to finish off, and settles on Loki.

Hexday

FREY

Retreat! Go into hiding! I'll try some experiments and then get out of here!
I slash through the Abrominae near Loki, covering his retreat, and use both swords and my shield. Then I plan to drive the Abrominae back as much as possible. The only magic i'm going to use will be divinatory in nature. I want to know weaknesses, good places to strike, anticipate its moves ahead of time.

Hexday

JORD	I'll leave my magic sword. Heptday

THOR	Odin, start relocating Asgard! You know that rainbow bridge Bregelmir just sabotaged? I leap into the air and slam my hammer down on it with all my might! It shatters into thousands of shiny pieces of fire and ice! I start running away from the edge, too, and go to help Odin. Hrairday

ODIN	Agreed. I'll random-walk Asgard. We'll have to start rebuilding that bridge later. Hrairday

FREY	Ok. I'll occasionally fire off a spell for it to chase after, moving it to the boundaries of Asgard. Hrairday

Frey is attempting to distract the Abrominae.

+Frey vs Abrominae+
Tier: Worldcrafter vs Meta
Domain: Magic (divination)/Combat vs Magic destruction
Equipment: Magic Sword vs None
Circumstance: Home Field Advantage vs The Universe is my Home
Spell: Find the Gap/Anticipate Attacks vs Much Absorbed Magic
Insight: Play Fetch vs None

This goes well for you, Frey. Soon, you and the Abrominae are dancing in the air, lunging, feinting, and slashing at each other. The Abrominae is powerful enough that its presence slowly leaches your magic, and you notice that when you send a spell out, the amount of attention drawn is directly proportional to the magic expended, so you're using up lots of resources.

Hrairday

FREY

Bregelmir, if you're going to help I suggest you summon some ice storms to cover my retreat! If I draw it back to the source of our magic, it'll come get you eventually. Now, I cast a poisonous spell in the air behind me which is inherent confusion. It will befuddle the navigation of anyone lost inside it and I hope I made it so anything absorbing it will get the same effect.

Hapday

DM	Way to anticipate your enemy, Frey. The Abrominae stops following you, in the long run. Your knowledge of magic, however, suggests that really huge portions of magic cast in a non-local manner might draw its attention again. Smaller, limited amounts should be safe, though. Hapday

THOR	Once it's clear that Asgard is secure, I'm going to fly off with Mjollnir and take care of the elemental. No, I haven't forgotten. I bet it smashes just as good as anything else. I'm gonna make him spin so fast he hovers into space. Hapday

+Thor vs Elemental+
Tier: Steepest vs Campaign
Domain: Weather, Strength vs Weather
Weakness: Mental vs Atmosphere Bound
Equipment: Mjollnir vs None
Circumstance: None vs Gathering Power

It's a clean sweep. The weather of Midgard slowly returns to normal, despite from typical icy winters from Bregelmir - that combination of radical weather patterns should drop a small yet significant portion of the population - but the threat is over, and Asgard quickly regains its magics. The change in sending help to believers is significant, however - you find that there is a limit on how much power you can conduit through the worlds without the Abrominae sniffing the air anxiously.

Hapday

ODIN	I will concentrate on granting strength and glory rather than magic. For example, the most fervent worshippers may access a divine berserker rage during battle. Hapday

THOR	And I will preserve them by going campaigning against the ice giants. Hapday

BREGELMIR

/msgDM: I have this DMFavor hoarded from all the worship I received. I want to use half of it to cloak myself utterly and steal Thor's hammer. Then I'm going to try to steal Gungnir and Frey's sword too, but I would rather live than steal those two. Then I want to use the other half on defenses: I'm thinking Steep Icicles which pin attackers to the ground if they try to steal the hammer back. Awaken the mountains! I also want fog like Nidhogg's too hide my identity.

Biday

Thor - you swat the giants around. Most of them are no match for you, though you do have to tactically retreat every once in a while when they amass enough forces to flood you.

One day, however, you awaken to find that your hammer is missing, with no trace of an intruder.

Collaboration with the other gods of Asgard reveals that nothing else is missing.

/msg Bregelmir: Odin's perception is far too good for you to safely attempt to take Gungnir, and Frey does not sleep. You steal the hammer, however, with ease.

Triday

THOR	Loki! I grab him, ready to squeeze the truth out of him! Tetday

LOKI	It was not me! You can search my halls, if you do not believe me. Tetday

THOR	I will search your halls. And I'm not letting go until you prove it wasn't you. What do I find? Tetday

DM	/msg Loki: Anything? Tetday

LOKI	/msgDM: Nothing. Lots of alchemical equipment, though. Pentday

DM	Nothing giving clues to the hammer is to be found in Loki's halls. You merely find a strange apparatus or two and some scrolls of magic runes. Pentday

ODIN	This is no good. Our defenses were barely enough against the last threat. Loki, you haven't said outright whether you know anything about this theft. Hexday

LOKI	Nothing, I swear. I haven't perceived anything with any of my senses about who might have stolen the hammer, and I haven't pieced together any suspicions either. Hexday

THOR	You'll help out, or I'll squeeze you to a pulp. You and Odin need to put your magics together Hexday

LOKI	I'll do some scouting in the form of a phoenix while Odin uses his throne. Hexday

Odin, as your monocular gaze sweeps the land, your attention falls upon the same place as Loki's. A high peak in Jotunheim, frosted from tip to roots, houses a small cave toward which Loki descends. From there, the sound of metal on stone rings out. As Loki's bright form gets closer, suddenly massive glittering icicles sprout forth violently from the mountain range, spearing Loki and bearing him to the ground just in front of the cave. Instantly, when he hits, a Steep fog of snow clouds the scene, though you can see a darker form appear and then the bright form of Loki vanish, before both visions disappear.

Hexday

BREGELMIR

/msgDM: I take Loki prisoner while he's pinned to the ground and I don't let him sing to his friends. I dampen his magics too in a bank of snow. I'm going to starve him until his stomach bleeds, and I'm going to sew his mouth shut! [pays DM cost for secrecy]

Heptday

LOKI	What's happening? Heptday

ODIN	Nothing good. An ice attack and we may have just lost our fire god. Hrairday

Loki, you will be informed by private message. In it you will also be told what information you are permitted to release.

/msg Bregelmir, Loki:

+Bregelmir vs Loki+
Tier: Worldcrafter vs Worldcrafter
Domains: Strength vs Trickery, Magic
Weaknesses: None vs Physical
Equipment: Hammer vs None
Circumstance: Home Field Advantage vs Pinned
Spell: Dampen Magic vs none
Allies: Filled by Favor vs None

Loki, you find yourself unable to speak or communicate telepathically.
You are also unable to cast spells, as you are plunged into a dense bank of magic-dampening snow. Bregelmir is wrestling with you, and his greater strength is winning the day, since you have no magics to assist you.

Hrairday

LOKI	It's Bregelmir! He's paid the Diamond Master for help and taken me prisoner! He has magic dampening snow! Hrairday

Loki, you were unable to speak. It is therefore assumed that you spent DMFavor on this message. Please deduct that amount. If you increase the amount paid, you will be able to communicate permanently.
Though you, as a god, have more communication abilities than a mortal and could therefore communicate as Bregelmir stitches your lips shut, it is assumed that Bregelmir also has metaphysical abilities to stop you.

Hrairday

LOKI	: X Sorry, didn't read that line. I see it now. I'll spend the minimum. Hapday

ODIN

Bregelmir, your cover is blown. What do you want for the hammer?

And for Loki, I suppose. Perhaps that would be a good trade: we won't pursue Loki if you give us the hammer? You can't defeat us in the end: there are too many of us who are steeper than yourself. Plus that whoooole favor we have on you - I'll use that if I have to.

Hapday

BREGELMIR

You can keep the favor if you let me marry Jord and return her to my side. That's where she came from, remember!

Biday

ODIN

Hm, I think Loki likes her too. He'd probably find some way to release her from her end of the deal...hm, did I say that out loud? Hahaha! Bregelmir, I command you to give me the hammer and the Loki back or I will cash in your Favor for something horrible. I'll start thinking of good ones now. You can keep Loki until then because I'm feeling generous and that way it will be all my idea.

Biday

BREGELMIR

This sucks. Stuck whatever I do. Do your worst now with the Favor and I'll get this over with.

Triday

ODIN	You know the original purpose of the Favor was to make sure you didn't antagonize us...Ok though, I'm still thinking of something terrible to make you do before we have to come in and destroy you and tear your empire down. Tetday

BREGELMIR

Now THAT won't happen. I've started a lot more allies than you have.

Tetday

ODIN	If you do not agree to my terms, you must hand over your Strength domain because you will be allowing Loki to permanently turn you into a hairless midget with no resistance. Tetday

BREGELMIR

Let me mull it over for a season. Then I will give you an answer. But during that time, Loki will remain my hostage with his mouth sewed shut, and I will destroy him if you come attacking.

Pentday

ODIN	We can wait - but if any of your giants come attacking, we'll instantly invoke the Favor and they'll be led by a naked midget who was once a god. Hexday

DM	Winter passes by with few tears shed on Midgard. Hexday

ODIN	What'll it be, Bregelmir? Surrender Loki and the hammer, or become a gnome and still lose them? Heptday

BREGELMIR

I'll trade you the two in return for the entirety of the Favor.

Hrairday

ODIN	No way. I've got you over a barrel. Hrairday

BREGELMIR

Half the favor.

Hrairday

ODIN	I won't mind giving up this Favor to see you as a naked ape and get the chance to beat you senseless. Hrairday

BREGELMIR

I'm calling your bluff. You love having that power over me.

Hapday

ODIN	So be it. I call in the Favor Bregelmir owes me and require that he submit to Loki's permanent polymorphing. Hapday

NORNS

When both parties are ready, I will enforce the Favor.

Hapday

BREGELMIR

Do it! Do it! Odin, last chance to back out. I'm not going to.

Biday

ODIN	I wasn't bluffing. Go ahead, LakOsiris. Triday

BREGELMIR

Dammit! dammit

Tetday

NORNS

The Favor is enforced. Loki is freed and Bregelmir submits to the spell that will change him into a hairless midget, giving up his Strength domain. Loki still needs to cast the spell, however.

Pentday

LOKI	It all sounds good to me. I send a fiery ray at Bregelmir, burning off all his hair and slowly reducing his stature. And then I grab Thor's hammer, because he's going to be too weak to stop me. And I leave. Hexday

BREGELMIR

Dammit.

Hexday

DM	Icicles impale you as before. Hexday

LOKI	What, still? Heptday

THOR	And I'm there to rip them out of the ground and take the hammer from Loki. Then, with the hammer, I will fly us both back to Asgard. Heptday

ODIN	See? Didn't even have to go into battle. Hrairday

LOKI	I'm adding an Escape domain. Hrairday

BREGELMIR

I neeed to regain a lot of status. Could I possibly have permission to enter Midgard and attempt some converts?

Hrairday

ODIN	They'd only laugh. Ha! You can't do any harm. Permission granted, but I'm not guaranteeing you any protection while you're there. The other condition is that you can't change form. You must appear just as you are. Hrairday

BREGELMIR

That's all I needed. I find an idol of Thor that receives sacrifices and attempt to get converts there. What is Thor's religion like?

Hapday

THOR	Aye, they place only the finest cuts of meat on my altar on thor'sday and it disappears (because I get it up here in Asgard.) Biday

BREGELMIR

Ah, alright. I make arrangements with the sort of rodents who are on good terms with the winter, and I arrange for them to be discovered eating the meat as it is placed on the altar.

Biday

DM	This will reduce Thor's heartbeat Favor for sure, as doubt has been cast on his actual power. Biday

THOR	What? How can they believe that?? I've been showing power on Midgard for ages. Biday

DM	Some of them also believe in homeopathy; that putting microscopic portions of a useful element into water will increase the efficacy of the element a millionfold. Biday

THOR	Well, I send down a vast feast to appear in front of them! Will that awaken the Abrominae? Triday

That should fly under his radar. It is not really the largest display of divine magic they've seen. Typically you would probably grant it to a priest of some sort, so as not to confuse anyone.

Bregelmir vs Thor:
Tier: Worldcrafter vs Steepest
Domain: Persuasion vs Str
Weakness: None vs Mental
Circumstance: Seeds of Doubt vs Home Field Advantage
Insight: Tip the Scales vs Food Solves All
The domain is really quite applicable. You are close in all other fields. At this rate I'm going to have to ask for a roll.

Tetday

BREGELMIR

I'm going to repeat my performance all over the world.

Pentday

THOR	And I, too. And I'm going to to choose some places that Bregelmir hasn't been to yet and get there first with my feast. Hexday

Thor, your feast resolves a lot of doubts, but there are still a few lingering questions about how things really work on Midgard. The most useful part is how your magical feast arrived before the mice were revealed in many places, but unfortunately communication is still at a very limited stage technologically, and people are likely to have forgotten their true feelings by the time news comes in a few decades.

Hexday

THOR	Easily fixed. I grant the power for my priests to talk to each other like the gods do, and make way for the first Congress of the Church of Thor! Heptday

The clerics marvel at their newfound power, but quickly organize themselves and corroborate their data to restore faith in their deity. Once a Steep god of the Diamond Pantheon has been given the power to act in a world, there can be little doubt as to their existence, and then it is mostly the relative merits of each god that are up for debate.

Heptday

ODIN

In an unrelated note, allow me to present my sons Tyr and Hodr and my daughters Sif and Nott, who have recently passed the rites of godhood and entered the Diamond Pantheon.

Tyr bows, flexes, and winks. He is the god of valor. His sisters Nott and Sif are the goddesses of night and day. Tyr is handsome and strong, Sif is beautiful and fair and has golden hair, unlike her mother and father. Nott is a brunette with heavy eye shadow, who loves the company of her black cats.

Hodr is the god of deep thoughts. His wisdom surpasses my own, though his blindness prevents him from being truly Steep.

[pays Norn Favor]

Heptday

LOKI	I too have someone to introduce. This is my son, Fenris the Night Wolf. [pays Norn Favor] Hrairday

FENRIS

I'm bigger than those puny Steep Wolves! I grow all the time: It's what I do. I eat and eat and when I'm done eating, I sleep for a bit and double in size!

Hrairday

ODIN	And what is your role here in the Pantheon? Hrairday

FENRIS

I don't live in Asgard though. I prefer the icy wastes, no cold bothers me! I'm full of heat...and hunger! I'll eat giants if they come to close, but I'm not afraid to eat an Asgardian if they stray too close!

Hrairday

ODIN	Not much of one for subtlety. Hapday

FENRIS

I dont' need it.

Hapday

ODIN	Do you even have hands? Hapday

LOKI	As long as he stays fed, he should be fine. Fenris might even keep those Steep Wolf and giantish populations under control. Hapday

FREY	I dislike this Nott. Hapday

ODIN	Hmm....I'm looking for more ways to get Favor with the Norns. Hapday

Check out some of the games in the Diamond Lounge.

You also get a glimpse from your throne of something that might help you. A wrinkly old giantess is stirring a pot, throwing in strange ingredients like rabbit feet, a rare breed of mistletoe, and tiny figurines of glass; humming about the brew she is cooking. She lives in a glittering crystal cave, and when her face is refracted through the crystal fragments, it bends into a more youthful appearance. You watch for a bit and learn that she calls the potion the Draught of Enlightenment, which embodies the clarity of the crystals she throws in. It seems to work, in theory, by opening a channel to the Norns themselves through rare magics.

Hapday

ODIN	"What is thy name, giantess? I see that thou art a practitioner of great magics, like myself." Biday

DM	"I be Thokk. Thokk's brew be magic of the greatest sort. It contain much knowledge of that which is secret. And you be Odin, and Odin cannot have none, so bugger off." Biday

ODIN	"Madam, I am the ruler of Asgard! How can thou know this and not know that I can pay most handsomely?" Triday

DM	"Thokk wants no riches. Needs no favors." Triday

ODIN	"If these magics be so great, how can you escape the Abrominae? Surely thy power would be that much more limited if my children and I had not restrained the Abrominae. Is this not worth talking about? Doesn't it earn me anything with you?" Triday

DM	"Odin must tell Thokk something she does not already know. Then Thokk will give Odin just a sip of her magic brew." Triday

ODIN	"How will I know thou aren't lying about what you know?" Tetday

"Thokk is a monster among even giants. Thokk has many triggers which send her into the realm of stone. If she lies, if she tastes the sun, if she bears children...all this has been prophesied and told to Thokk when she was young. Thus Thokk truthful, and live in the dark, and is barren. This brew will help Thokk have a full life. Then Thokk will not turn to stone."

Tetday

ODIN	"I still don't trust you. You could be lying through thy teeth even yet. Come to Asgard, under cover of night. Bring thy brew, so you can watch over it. You will see that I do not seek to trick you. There, where I can have judges, I will question thee about what you know." Pentday

DM	"What does Thokk get if Thokk wins?" Hexday

ODIN	"If Thokk wins, I will ask our great smith Durin to make her a treasure that will do whatever she pleases. But only if I cannot find something thou does not know." Hexday

Thokk agrees. You transport her, as the night begins, to Asgard where you can try to probe the depth of her knowledge and win a sip of the brew. Once you arrive, she informs you of another curse: That one sip will merely give a hint of the link to the Norns, and you realize that only the entire brew might be able to do what you seek.

Throughout the examination, she often counters with her own questions, which you can carefully piece together and enhance your own wisdom.

Hexday

DURIN

I have finally finished the piece which is necessary for the safety of Midgard's depths and Asgard's heights alike. This Great Horn of Warning was described to me by the Brazen Head in calculated detail. It has the power to slither like a serpent on its brass coils, so that it can reach the highest height from which to look out upon the world. It has malleable super-alloys that allow it to strike like a serpent as well. Finely tuned accoustics ensure that its sounds can be heard from absolutely anywhere, and the echo is calibrated with the surroundings and an updating database so that it will resound until the danger has passed.
[pays]

Hexday

ODIN

Does Thokk know about the Brazen Head?
Does she know about the Nine Herbs charm, the answer to the question that Mimir and the Norns did not know?
Does she know my own thoughts?
Does she know all the details about the hypercone and the Diamond that I know?

Durin, I need to know if you can turn someone back to flesh from stone.

Heptday

DURIN

Should be a very simple project.

Hrairday

DM	She easily answers your own questions, and even goes beyond. She can respond with a level of detail into the insights of your own thoughts which is astounding. Hrairday

ODIN	I keep pressing her with more and more involved questions. I demand more and more detail out of her. Hrairday

LOKI	The instant her face is turned or her eyes are closed, I sneak in beside her kettle, turn into a snake, and suck the whole draught into my belly for preservation. /msg DM I also drink just a sip, though I take care not to let Odin know. Hrairday

She knows immediately when the dawn is approaching and halts all questions.
"Thokk can afford to be patient, for the long term, but she must get back to the dark crystalline caves before long. Odin has been most entertaining."
It is then that Loki strikes and recoils with a swollen belly. She is immediately cognizant of this action, though she could not have seen Loki do it and gives every sign of surprise. She stomps her great foot sideways and pins Loki down, nearly spilling liquid out of his mouth.

/msg Loki:
You gain a small bit of insight, enough for one domain relating to knowledge or awareness. However, the dosage is far from perfect, and your physical state becomes even more unstable.

Hapday

ODIN

I place my helm in front of Loki and let him spit the potion into my helm.
"Thokk, I take this whole amount as my due. You did not know Loki would perform this heinous action, or you wouldn't have risked spilling the potion. Loki has also proven that this is a single sip."

I begin the process of brewing up a god of poetry, smiles, and sunlight; a god of the Steepest tier. I pour all the favor from this draught into my creation, as well as some of my own virtue and some of the beauty of Jord, the other contributor.

[pays Norn Favor]

Biday

BALDER

I am Balder, and I am what steps forth from Odin's brew. My face beams with sunlight, and you will never catch me being ill-mannered or spiteful. Unlike Loki, my charms are not just a front. I am always armed, but I will only draw my sword to save the honor of a lady. Until that day, I shall merely wield my shield which shines like the sun.

Triday

Thokk is furious. She drops her wooden, gnarled staff and stamps one, two, three steps before vanishing into mist. Her staff springs to life as the sun comes up, silhoutting Balder's heroic figure against the morning light. A knot on the staff opens like a mouth and speaks:
"Balder, you be just created, but very soon you are cursed to die! Odin, your tarnishing honor be draining thy hourglass far too speedily!"

Then, to everyone's dismay, Balder's brilliance flickers. It becomes apparent to the eyes of the gods that he is not on the same Steepest Tier as his father - some small portion of the potion giving him life must have been spilled.

Triday

JORD	No. That lady can't just waltz in here and make accusations like that. Odin, make sure Thokk is put to death. Let's tie up that awful wolf too. I think that's what she's referring to! Think about it. He's Loki's son, he loves to eat, he's a great big hound. Triday

ODIN	By that logic, perhaps we should imprison Loki as well. He'd never stay put, though... Tetday

JORD

You take care of those things. Tie Loki up and throw him to the Abrominae. I don't care what happens to that wretch. I have something else to take care of.

I go out to each and every thing on the earth, living or not, and make it promise not to hurt Balder, nor its counterparts here on Asgard or in the icy waste. I do not let a single thing escape. Especially not even mistletoe. I stoke the rainbow bridge to huge new proprotions and send it running straight down the middle of Asgard like a river, to ward off the nasty ice giants. And I assign Balder to stay in Asgard. There's plenty you can do from there.

Tetday

BALDER

I think I'll be fine, mum. There's not even any reason to want to hurt me, except for the Abrominae (though I don't do much magic) and the Thokk. And dad knows where Thokk lives.

Tetday

ODIN	I'm not going to make the attempt on Loki. He's slippery anyway, and there's no reason to offend him. Fenris, though. We don't know anything about him. Pentday

THOR	Though if he hurts my brother, I will pulverize him. Pentday

FREY	I don't sleep. I'll stand guard night and day over Balder, and I will assign my sword to follow him always. I'll only leave when someone comes to relieve me. Hexday

DURIN

Oh yes, that reminds I. I have resources enough to upgrade that sword of yours, Frey. I'll ask for no payment until it saves Balder. How's that?
[pays DM Favor]

I'm also forging some chains that I believe should have just the right formula of metals and metaphorical elements to hold Fenris.

Hexday

FREY	Thank you so much Durin!! Hexday

ODIN	Tyr and I take those chains and go to put them on Fenris. Heptday

You sneak up stealthily, but the mighty wolf's keen ears hear you anyway.

+Odin vs Fenris+
Tier: Steepest vs Steepest
Domain: Hunting vs Consumption, Str
Weakness: None vs Mental
Equipment: Gungnir vs None
Circumstance: Bring Some Rope vs Home Field Advantage
Allies: Tyr vs Loki

Gungnir is not much of a help here, so it's essentially tied. The chains Durin has crafted are excellent because of his domain, but not an artifact since he does not have DMFavor. Without them there would be no way to restrain the wolf, but with their presence I'm going to ask for rolls. The two gods circle the massive wolf, chains at the ready. Loki stands ready to defend, but no one can find that perfect opening move.

Hrairday

LOKI	No. I'm not going to stand around and get betrayed by these two. I go off into hiding. Fenris is strong enough to break that chain, it doesn't even have any magic. I'm going to change my shape, my name, even my gender perhaps, and most especially my whereabouts. Hrairday

DM	In that case, Tyr and Odin will be able to get that chain around Fenris. You are not yet sure whether it will hold, however. Hrairday

ODIN	I ask Hodr to use his tactical skills to think of any other way Balder might be in danger. Hrairday

While you two are putting your heads together, you consult many sources of news and wisdom. You find that, though the Great Hypercone Tree itself has promised not to hurt Balder, that Mimir was attacked by giants and slain. His very bones have been eaten, and the Norns have begun the rites to sever his spirit permanently. They weep over the blood which stains their diamond-leaved Tree.

Meanwhile, the only danger is the other Asgardians - and they would have to use their fists alone. No weapon of steel or wood and no spell of energy or element can harm Balder. Jord is the Steepest god of earth, and this gives her an awful lot of power on a scale lesser gods only dream of.

Hapday

ODIN	Is the Brazen Head still to be found? I will ask the Norns to put Mimir's spirit into the Head, and I will keep that in Asgard for counsel. And we are NOT testing this out by throwing things at Balder. Biday

BALDER

I am oh so glad to hear it.

Triday

NORNS

We Norns comply tearily, binding what remains of Mimir's spirit to the thing of bronze and steel. This will act as the mental counterpart to your great spear.
"Be ye careful, Lord Odin. The time of your world's great peril is near. Far too near."

Tetday

JORD	But how will we know if it works? Tetday

ODIN	We won't let anything dangerous near Balder. Pentday

JORD	But anything could be dangerous. And the curse doesn't say when Balder will die. He might have to live in a bubble for the rest of his life. and even then we might forget air holes. Pentday

ODIN

Ok, how about this: under my supervision, we will *lightly toss* things at Balder and make sure they don't make contact. We will not be doing anything that could actually kill him. But if he gets bruised we know the promise didn't work. Ok with you, Balder? If it is, we begin, using a variety of things that shouldn't be able to backfire. Forked gnarly twigs, very small rocks, wadded up leaves, that sort of thing.

Pentday

BALDER

Absolutely. You and mum should do the tossing - I trust you. And you are the god of the hunt and so I think you would know the difference between a lethal and gentle blow.

Hexday

Jord has done her job as earth mother well. Nothing you toss at Balder does any harm. Twig and stone alike bounce off about an inch from Balder's clothes and hit the ground with a thunk, their momentum preserved.

/msg Fenris: Your roll is needed for the Norns, the Lady, and myself to decide your fate. Please respond in a timely manner. This is your warning.

Hexday

LOKI

I think I saw my cue. I go to Thokk and ask her for her special brand of mistletoe. I ask if it has promised not to kill Balder. If it has not, I take it, fashion an arrow out of it, and enchant the Hel out of it. I make it true seeking and so that it will ignite on fire whatever tries to stop its course.

Then I go to Hodr before any of this news is spread.
"You have sharp hearing, of course, being blind? Did you know that the other gods are having an archery contest without you? Doesn't that make you feel really left out? If I strain my ears, I can juuust about hear the sound of arrows thudding into targets.
If you like, I could guide your arm while you pull the string and you could surprise them all..."
and I aim his arm straight for Balder.

As soon as the arrow releases I go back into hiding.

Hexday

You are exactly right, Loki: Thokk bears Balder no goodwill, and her own species of mistletoe is an exception to Jord's cajolings.
Blind Hodr draws back his bow and allows you to point his arrow straight for Balder's heart.

He lets go, and the mistletoe passes through the cloud of tossed items and continues its direct path into the god of sunlight.
+Loki vs Balder+
Tier: Steepest vs Worldcrafter
Domains: Trickery vs Light/Poetry
Weakness: None vs None
Equipment: Magical Sprig vs None
Circumstance: Sneak shot vs Overconfident
Insight: Who'd Expect the Blind God? vs None
Spell: Trueseeker Arrow vs Jord's Vow Collection
Allies: Hodr vs Odin

Hexday

BALDER

I merely turn into a ray of light and let the arrow pass through me.

Hexday

FENRIS

I itch to be free of chains! My strength is sufficient to bust these chains.
[submits roll]

Hexday

LADY	Fenris rolls 10. Hexday

DM	There is a small chance you may not be aware in time to react, Balder. Your action has been added to your Insight category. The roll will be part of that determination. Fenris, you bust through the chains as if they are nothing. Hexday

ODIN	I'm standing guard, of course, and my magical aptitude would let me know about the wards on the arrow. I simply move a field of pure force around it that's not susceptible to fire. Hexday

And now it is clear to you that something else is afoot. For the shaft pierces right through this new barrier also, and even Loki looks a bit surprised as the mistletoe arrow subsumes the field of force and merely synthesizes increased energy, feeding off of Odin's magics. Balder can feel that the sprig interfaces with an integral part of his being: it was one of the ingredients which gave this poet life, and Thokk has given it far more potency in anticipation of just such a moment. The parasitic plant spins off a tiny fragment of Odin's vast life force and weaves that mana into its own deadly path.

Will his sunlight trick be enough?
Roll.

[Loki rolls 20. Balder rolls 3.]

Hexday

DM	Balder collapses into sunlight. His radiance streams out all in one nova sunburst as his life and his body are disconnected. His brilliant golden thread snaps off of the loom of the world. Balder is dead. Heptday

ODIN	Thor, your task is to get Loki. I'll go help spot him. The other gods will gather for a funeral. My son only just entered this world. We won't take from him an ounce of the glory he deserves. And watch out for Loki - he has a lot of Favor on you Hrairday

NORNS

Death approved, though we weep to see it. So it begins...

Hrairday

BALDER

Ah, poor poet, never to have a day of life in which to cast lines
Too poorly, too sorely, did we defend agains the signs
The omens that read:
Balder dead!

Hrairday

DURIN

I have learned something since those last chains were forged. This time I have filled them with an alloy of wolfsbane, silver, and the steel of the gods. The strength is a hundredfold what it was before, and the tests run by I have proven that its selective elasticity/plasticity ratio will provide far more staying power.

[pays DM Favor]

Hrairday

ODIN	Good. We try again to bind the wolf. Hapday

+Odin vs Fenris+
Tier: Steepest vs Steepest
Domain: Hunting vs Consumption, Strength
Weakness: None vs Mental
Equipment: Steep Cordage vs None
Circumstance: None vs Home Field Advantage
Allies: Tyr vs none

This time success is entire. Fenris is still straining at the bonds with a might beyond even Thor's, but the chains are holding, as their strength was added over time and designed explicitly for this particular constraint. The chains were forged by a god as Steep as Fenris, after all...

Fenris cannot break the chains and will certainly not be escaping through strain alone.

Biday

FREY	Is it possible for me to give the sword to a mortal? There's a HUGE power imbalance between elves and orcs in my campaign world of Krine. It would be fun to try tipping the balance slowly and subtly rather than through drastic measures. Triday

There's nothing to prevent you from adding it to your world. As a DP Artifact, however, you should lose access to it here if it's present in a Diamond Pantheon campaign world. And remember that it was crafted by a Steep god for a Steep god, and would grant a measure of power should any mortal gain access to the Diamond Pantheon.

Meanwhile, on Midgard, many things are going wrong. The ice giants have been expanding their realms, winters are colder than normal, and on the fringes of civilization children are being stolen from beside watchfires by bold giants. The aid you are sending in the form of spells, buffs to heroes, and divine encouragement does not seem to be enough. You know the Abrominae sniffs watchfully, waiting for a burst of power moving between the Facets or a travelling god armed with mighty magical spells. The human cries come up to Asgard plainly, carried on the mysterious wings of prayer, but some priests are beginning to doubt the true power of the gods for salvation. Everyone suffers on heaven and earth, even Loki, who is the patron of their cookfires and warming systems. As if that isn't enough, dragons hidden in the depths of the world, travellers from different planes, are making themselves known, and the most powerful heroes give their lives in waves to slay even one of the ancient wyrms of Midgard. Oceans grow slowly poisonous beneath man's furnace dross and slag dumpings as soft kings sit on thrones - too many of the steely heroes are winding up in the bellies of one sort of monster or another. The sun is too often eclipsed without its champion, and wolves howl endlessly on the border of men's hearing.

Tetday

MORGASE

I was going to offer to support Odin in repayment for my earlier stupid actions. I haven't been doing much since then and I've gained only a little power, but instead I will go to Frey's world with his permission, there to betray the orcs slowly, chieftain by chieftain, and lead them into the Abyss, where I will set up ebony fortifications using them as slaves. I'm giving Frey one full Favor, which he must return to me when it is clear I have done my word.

Pentday

ODIN

We have not tried this very much before. But I want to send Thor down personally to champion against these monsters. No Steep buffs on him. Jord, Loki, Frey and I must surely remain up here in Asgard. Durin could perhaps be of some aid if he makes a personal appearance. So I think this is going to be a battle for the champions of the hammer, Thor, and Durin.

The rest of us will watch from above, sending inspirational dreams, visions, and choosing granted spells carefully to maximize crops and things. I will create a time of increased treasure, as dreams and clues are carefully placed by all of us gods to direct mankind to the artifacts and magic items already hidden there.

Pentday

THOR

Let's do it. I gather up Durin if he's coming, and Mjollnir takes us down to Midgard. I want to come crashing down like a meteor on some nasty dragon's head. But near enough to civilization that people witness my coming before I dart away. They'll still hear of me, though. You know, when the bodycount gets high for the baddies.

Hexday

ODIN

I'll double the amount of heroes brought up to become my warriors after their deaths. I am also appointing Brunhildr, a champion of Sigmar on Midgard and a mass slayer of evil Skaven and Slann in battle, as my nonmagical liason between Midgard and Asgard. It will be her duty to bring up fallen warriors and to provide encouragement and military support to armies who march in my name.

[pays Norn Favor]

Hexday

FREY	I'll agree to those terms, Morgase. Watch yourself. And no running to Bregelmir: please. Heptday

MORGASE

That oaf nearly got me killed. He did get me pinned by the mighty god of thunder.

Heptday

BRUNHILDR

Yes! I will ride an eight-legged white horse into battle and through the Facets of the Diamond to wherever my lord Odin wills! I will be a hero-deity of the morning, and whichever army awakens first will gain the benefit of whatever granted stats I can slip past this brown serpent magic-eater thing.

Hrairday

ODIN	Watch yourself, too, Frey. Remember what happened when I let Bregelmir on Midgard. Brunhildr, I want you to spare an eye on Thor and durin. Hrairday

BRUNHILDR

You got it!

Hrairday

BREGELMIR

Though I have been deformed, I'm still determined to be a mighty leader. I wield my deformaty as an accusation against the Asgardians. They are the ones who did this to me! They hold no respect! I urge as many giants as I can onto Midgard, and our first action will be to establish a hostage situation with as many major cities as we can surround. One attack on a giant, and poof! There goes a city.

I'm explaining this tactical advantage to the giants as well, to minimize their looting.

Hrairday

THOR	Back off, Bregelmir. We drummed you pretty nicely, and these giants are even weaker. With a curving throw of Mjollnir, I think I can take out an entire camp of giants when a city is roused by Brunhildr. Hapday

BRUNHILDR

I ride to do exactly that! I blow my powerful horn and ride above the villages, calling out battle plans and encouragement! Immortality for the bravest of warriors!

Biday

"Thor, mightiest of the gods, and Durin the Delver, my most hated enemy, together in one place outside of their strongholds? An opportunity I could hardly resist."
Thus speaks the sinuous voice behind you.
Brunhildr has just enough time to watch the ground part to reveal the scaly golden form of Nidhogg, Dragon of Destruction, crawling up from his subterranean empire. Animals flee the area, leaving only the cavity-nesters; owls and birds and rodents whom Nidhogg favors. He is idly picking his teeth with his claws, and grinning slightly.

"Do I smell a stalemate? Allow me to cast that askew."

He levels a breath of fire which melts the stone in its path. It is calculated to burn the city to the ground in seconds, and the two of you are only collateral damage. This lance of flame is not merely a line of fire, however; the serpent's fire leaps out in spurts and bursts and blasts of all shapes and broad swathes, leaving little room for escape along any dimension.

The two of you, though among the most stalwart of gods, will not be able to take much of that. Your hair is already singed and your skin crispied despite all defenses you can put up.

Triday

THOR	I flay him with the mightiest blast of thunderboltage I can summon. Tetday

DURIN

I begin planning our escape route. Hint: It is "down." I'm going to start a burrow barely big enough for Thor, and certainly not big enough for Nidhogg. Does he have wings?

Tetday

Nidhogg does indeed have a magnificent pair of speedy wings.

Thor's thunderbolt merely makes the dragon shake his head, but it does lay to waste an entire plantation. This is not really a big deal, however, because the city which normally benefits from that plantation is now a field of embers.

Nidhogg's entire body lights up with flame; he appears crowned and wreathed in destruction and fire. He tears up the ground as he charges at you, clawing and biting and flaming.

Pentday

DURIN

Retreat! Run underground! I and Thor take to the tunnels and come out in another town.

Pentday

The giants have posted a watch. Your method of entrance is a surprise, but they seem to take it as an attack and immediately carry out the hostage threat. From one moment to the next they have switched from guarding the town confidently to pillaging, looting, carousing, and consuming. A deployment of the giants moves to intercept you.

Hexday

THOR	This isn't going to work. Heptday

DURIN

Let's propose a truce. I announce to the giants that we will retreat as they are retreating.

Heptday

DM	If Thor agrees, they begin pulling people out, grabbing sheep and goats for their cookpots along their way back to the Icy Wastes. They're not feeling particularly harried. Hrairday

THOR	Odin, we need a new plan. Hrairday

LOKI

"I have one." I step out of hiding with my hands held out in front of me peacably and my burning hair down to a simmer. Mini Lokis of fire run ahead and prepare my way.

"Morgase is in Frey's world. Frey has a full Favor on her. What if we use her as a conduit to Bregelmir and his forces? Frey, locate a promising fellow from your world, preferably a mage of great potential, and I'll ensure that he has the necessary resources to crawl up the food chain."

Hrairday

FREY	Not a bad plan. Don't make me waste this nice Favor I have, though, if you please. I did some checking and testing, and the most eligible is a guy named Rastlyn Magehair, an elven True Neutral wizard who specializes in time and zorchy magics. Hrairday

LOKI

Great. Can you inform him that I am sending to him, from the heart of his very next campfire, power enough to kill even a god? The Dark Queen Morgase is his contact - he must find her and convince her through any means necessary to assist him in gaining the Icy Wastes on the Steepest Facet on the Diamond of Existence and extinguish a particular hairy dwarf. If he agrees to do this, I will grant him ultimate arcane power of the utmost transcendant sort.

Obviously I am assuming Frey gives me permission to enter his world?

Morgase, I beseech you to acquiesce and use your knowledge of Bregelmir against him. Midgard is not his to intrude upon. He has his own world to bully.

Hapday

THOR	That's all very nice, but we need a backup plan. Hapday

ODIN	Aye. We don't want to bring about the prophecy given to Jord. Biday

JORD	My dear Odin, I am far tougher than you seem to think. I'm not going to lie down and let my earth be devastated. Bregelmir, I challenge you to single combat. Are you afraid? Triday

BREGELMIR

I would be a fool to accept. I'll keep to my Icy Wastes, thanks.

Tetday

JORD	You back down so easily?! Tetday

BREGELMIR

Discretion valor etc, Milady.

Pentday

JORD

You pick the challenge. I can even have Odin restore your proper form. Surely as a Giant you would not be afraid?
I send each of my taunts as a torrent of boulders and stones, and each persuading point a sleet of rain, resistant to freezing, down on the Icy Wastes where we think Bregelmir is hiding.

Pentday

LOKI	I underscore each remark with a blast of flame. I would relish the opportunity to see this encounter. Pentday

BREGELMIR

No, no, no, no! You and me have already tried direct confrontation. Guerrilla warfare is the only way to get what we deserve.

Pentday

THOR	Psh! And what could that possilby be. Hexday

FREY	Loki, Rastlyn has agreed to your terms. Hexday

LOKI

Superb. I grant to Rastlyn Magehair a single spell of the most power I can muster over the course of a week in my stronghold laboratory to send through the Facets, a blasting orb of darkness so black it blinds, so dense like the moon that it cripples the target in its area. "With this, Rastlyn, I adjure you to take partnership with Dark Queen Morgase, and from there use the spell to force a withdrawal of Bregelmir's forces from Midgard, or for Bregelmir to accede. If necessary, kill him."
"If you manage to use Morgase to get you closer to Bregelmir, I will at that point grant you access to the Diamond Pantheon of True Gods."

Hexday

FREY	That is more than I was expecting. Heptday

LOKI	It's all necessary. He can't make Bregelmir do much without this access. So now I send this big spell, and a host of supporting high strength spells, to Rastlyn. I want to drain most of my magical power and be channelling it through him. Hrairday

DM	There is a chance that magics of this magnitude, in tight concentration, might awaken the Abrominae's attention. Hrairday

LOKI	I am willing to take that risk. I do not think it will happen. If it does, we can fight him again. We prevailed last time and we've been shying away enough. I'm maxing this spell's power out and SENDING IT. Hrairday

DM	Rastlyn receives the spell. Hrairday

ODIN	Let's start organizing what we're going to do if this goes horribly wrong. I think it's a bad idea. Why not just march on Bregelmir? He won't come out, he won't call back his giants...Loki, can you handle this new guy if you recognize him as a god and give him a godkilling spell? Hapday

LOKI	That won't be a problem. I have a plan. Biday

BRUNHILDR

Odin, can you ask the Brazen Head for advice? Just a thought I had.

Triday

ODIN	I don't really know it's limits...But I know it has some of Mimir in it. Risk is probably small, really. I will ask the head if these actions are destined to contribute to this apocalyptic end. Hrairday

LOKI	I'm going to a secluded, secret spot to watch Rastlyn chase after Morgase. Frey, Morgase, keep us updated. Hrairday

FREY	Well...Perhaps not so good. Or maybe it is. Rastlyn killed Morgase's avatar with some lucky rolls and by draining all the spell slots you granted him, Loki. Nothing I could fairly do - I had Morgase chatting into the game. Now he wants to be allowed up here for some unfinished business. Hrairday

LOKI	Ok, no problem there. I sponsor for godhood Rastlyn Magehair of Frey's campaign world. [pays Norn Favor] Hrairday

ODIN	Thor, Brunhildr and I interrupt the ascension ceremony to take Loki in hand. "You need to start running these decisions by us if you want to convince us that you're on our side." Hapday

DURIN

I'll assist in that - I agree and Loki's rampant behavior sits badly enough with I that I'm willing to get involved. I have enough Favor for an item of restraint, if need be.

Biday

NORNS

We recognize Rastlyn MageHair as a Hero Deity.

Biday

Frey - you have been monitoring the Abrominae's status. I am sorry to say that the beast has been stirring restlessly, creating greater and greater thrashings and rumblings, which you can follow back to the time Loki granted the dark orb spell to Rastlyn. You suspect an attack soon.

Indeed, no sooner have you shared this information with your peers, than the golden horn of the Apocalypse goes speeding through the land, trumpeting loudly, awakening everyone with its blasts of warning: The End Is Near.

Triday

DURIN

But it could still be stopped! I would not have been told to make a warning horn if it would be of no avail to I.

Tetday

RASTLYN

I follow Morgase up from Krine and immediately begin assault upon her as she steps out of the campaign world and the Hamlet of Heroes.

I'll simply corner her and blast her with the big spell when her chances of escape are least.

Pentday

MORGASE

Rastlyn, what the hell?! Get the hell away!

Pentday

RASTLYN

I do not plan to relent.

Your stress makes you vulnerable. You look old and foolish before me.

Pentday

MORGASE

This is stupid. You don't gain anything.

Pentday

RASTLYN

I gain power. That's what truly matters.

Hexday

MORGASE

I'll give you Favor. All the Favor in my possession.

Heptday

RASTLYN

You can give me nothing that I cannot take from you.

Heptday

MORGASE

****
I'll give you a full Favor on me.

Hrairday

RASTLYN

Useless, if you're dead. I'm not going to be convinced. I know you can't get anything worthwhile in time.

And of course, having threatened to kill you, I can never really trust you anyway. My armor class is unfortunately rather high, and backstabbing me is all too easy if I give an inch.

Goodbye.

Hrairday

BRUNHILDR

I leave the hall of heroes and try to halt both sides of this fight.

Hrairday

+Rastlyn vs Morgase+
Tier: Hero Deity vs Campaign God
Domain: Evil and fear magics vs Dominating magics
Weakness: Health vs None
Circumstance: None vs Surrounded!
Insight: Fear Is My Weapon vs None
Spell: Loki-fueled god-killing spell vs Domination

Rastlyn, you are trying to kill a god steeper than yourself. Only because you are fueled by a still higher god do you have the opportunity to be successful. Morgase, trapped crying in a corner, is nevertheless assumed to be writhing like a snake and casting a spell to bring you to your knees begging for her adoration. The attack is yours, however - you press your initiative and launch the massive orb of blinding, crackling, pulsing magical energy, leaving you nearly dry of magics as Morgase completes her own spell, her thin enchanting stream heading toward you and your tremendous, overpowering blast of destruction nearly upon her.

Then, in a voice to etch glass:
"A fine feast! The very energy I have followed between so many Facets so far. It is mine with which to engorge myself!"

In the ensuing whirl of sepia scales and stained, gnashing serpent's teeth, it is not clear whether the midnight orb of destruction is what finishes off Morgase, or if she is simply consumed by the Abrominae.

It is clear to all the gods, however, that the release of so much potent magic, scented by the Abrominae as it crossed paths along the edges between Facets, and the presence of Steep magic within Morgase, all combined to make her the incontrovertible target of choice for this bane of puissance.

"And who will be next?"

[Morgase's Favor accounts are transferred to Rastlyn]

Hrairday

RASTLYN

Not this bone-dry mage, that's for sure. I exit back to the Hamlet to warn the other gods - and I return to the scene to collect the leftover possessions of the Dark Queen.

Hapday

BRUNHILDR

I'm off to rally defenses, as fast as my horse can go. Frey is my first stop, then Thor, because the two of them did well against this thing last time.

Biday

THOR	The hammer takes me there like a blast of lightning. Biday

JORD	Where did you original booming voice go? Triday

THOR	Consumed by the serpent, I guess. Triday

JORD

As each hero arrives, I give them the tiniest golden flowerbud for their hair. If they are truly in danger of death, the flower will bloom and grant the smallest jolt of energy to overcome close calls.

I will also manage the relationship between Midgard and Asgard, moving the two around in Space and trying to confuse the Abrominay. Last time, we made it so the abrominay couldn't find Asgard after it was defeated.

Triday

FREY	I run into the battle too. Again, I will supply the little divination magics. My sword is mostly for show: I'll fight like a god, but my real weapon is serving mortals in Krine. Tetday

LOKI

Smirking, I take to hiding in a secret place, full of poisons of my own device, forswearing all but the simplest of magics.
[sells domain to DM for half Favor]
I will use this gap in power to hide myself from all eyes, from all detection, from all attackers or seekers or supplicants.
[pays DM Favor for reality revision]

Pentday

ODIN

I leap into battle, with Tyr and Hodr at the head of a charge, while Nott weaves darknesses to confuse our enemy! Hodr's superior hearing will guide the two of them through.
I am preserving the throwing of Gungnir for a time when there is evidence that the Abrominae cannot eat the magic from magic weapons.

Pentday

BREGELMIR

I don't use magic. I free my other friend of brute force: Fenris, when the others are out of magic. We stand by to take care any stragglers after this fight.

Pentday

BRUNHILDR

I'm maintaining my job as messenger. I'm bringing as many heroes up from the dead as possible. We might take big losses.

Hexday

The gods of Asgard leap about, defending their home. They are often giving ground, however. Too many of them cry "I use this little magic!" or "I sneak in a trivial spell of strength." Their force is weak, and the Abrominae has grown fat, his strength doubled on the strongest magical energy that has ever been through his territory. His lashing body seems to be everywhere at once, and gods who try to sneak up on it or lead it away find themselves whipped by a tail. It steadily finds small sources of magic: tunnelling into enchanted grounds or blessed shrines, snapping little divinations that get too close, snatching up unwary lesser Asgardian spellcasters.

Odin, Thor has used his hammer in combat with this beast before, with no apparent harm to the hammer. Therefore, Gungnir flashes in and out of the melee, in your hand as often as out of it. Mjolnir, too, flies about, smashing down on the swollen Abrominae again and again.

Frey, without your sword, you find yourself far less effective than last time.

+Odin vs Abrominae+
Tier: Steepest vs Metagod
Domain: Wisdom vs Magic Consumption
Equipment: Gungnir, Mjolnir vs none
Circumstance: Home Field Advantage vs Swollen and Massive
Allies: Asgard vs None

You have numbers on your side, though the area the Abrominae can destroy grows steadily larger. We have not seen such a great gathering of gods for one purpose. The beast has already laid much of Asgard to waste, however; its borders making it seem a city of ruin, the fields pocked with tunnels and scorch marks.
As you watch, fine teeth spring up from various bends in the Abrominae's spectral body, acting as separate mouths.

Your two Steep weapons are your other great asset, but no one seems to have any bright ideas about how precisely to kill this abomination.

The Abrominae submits a roll.

Heptday

LADY	Abrominae rolls 18. Hrairday

Within a blast of foul-smelling hot breath and a bite from an aberrant mouth, Frey goes down. Poisoned blood is streaming from his side. His chest barely goes up and down. Odin can see that Frey will not live without healing attention, even if this battle is won. Odin himself has taken wounds in this battle.

Hrairday

RASTLYN

I would help, honestly I would. No mage could support the Abrominae. But I'm utterly worthless in this fight: I will simply hold together the Hamlet.

Hrairday

FREY	No chance. We have no chance. I think that as soon as Loki woke it up we've been doomed. Hrairday

THOR	Try getting your sword back? Hapday

DURIN

I'm running the backup plan, as usual. I have begun the forging of a celestial lifeboat. It is to be forged by I in fire plasmas at absolute zero. Its molecules are immovable, but categorically unstable in one particular instance: the alloys of ferrous starmetal can be made to fit in a pocket, but later expanded by factors of ten to act as a full ship through forces of tension and expansion.

An artificial life system uses noble gases to maintain a suspended sleep, which should even work on Frey as it is not merely metabolic but quasimagical. This extends a slowing state over the set of the boat and its contents, making them invulnerable to anything.

Several backup quantum states are made of each item inside and preserved cryogenically.

A rudder of ice frozen at absolute zero drives it through any realm. The name of the ship is the Skidblade Lifeboat.

Hapday

FREY

I have a better idea, Thor. I put within my sword that it can choose my successor, in case that day comes where I'm not it. It'll sort of anchor my world in case it turns into a dream. Exactly what will happen when I die.

Now. I propel myself around with magic. I also get Tyr and Hodr to help me. I lay a trail of spells after me as I go. Fairly big ones. Bigger than what everyone else is using.
Occasionally limping around to harry the Abrominae. I'm heading for the edge between two Facets. I plan to lead the Abrominae out into the Diamond so he's less likely to bother us. And he's going to get me at the end, because I'm weak now and defenseless. So you've gotta keep him going.

As bonus I'm going to try to get Fenris chasing me too. Bearhug. Blazing magic like a torch, even if Fenris kills me.

Hapday

ODIN	I give my two sons permission to follow you. They will assist you in taking down Fenris. Hapday

DM	Out alone, wounded, and kept alive only by magic, you would have no chance to survive the encounter. Biday

FREY	So be it. Triday

Fenris has not been active lately. With no warning, he has gone entirely quiescent for ages. I do not think he would resist the chance to chomp on your throat. Ragnarok has come, the death of the gods!

The Abrominae tears hungrily after you, as you are easily the most active spellcaster here. At the same time, he smells his poison in your blood and desires your end. The other gods have a time of relief.

With tactical magics, Frey makes it to the razor sharp edge of the Facet. Fenris is right behind him, and leaps over the edge as Frey hurls himself away with magic, trailing blood and brown energy.

Tyr and Hodr are filling Fenris full of arrows and spears. Fenris is sinking his enormous teeth into Frey's jugular, adding to the maelstrom of life force.

Let us see if Fenris is the one to destroy you, Frey.

+Fenris vs Frey+
Tier: Steepest vs Worldcrafter
Domain: Consumption vs Magic, Combat
Weakness: Mental vs None
Circumstance: Blood Scent vs Wounded
Insight: None vs Willing Sacrifice
Allies: None vs Tyr, Hodr

[requests roll]

Tetday

LADY	Fenris rolls 19. Tetday

Fenris tears all but the slightest consciousness out of you, Frey. Though your godly will remains (feebly), you are dead for all other purposes.

Tyr and Hodr have managed only to wound Fenris when he swalloys them whole, accepting the pain of the spears on his insides as part of his lot. He is consumption.

The Abrominae sees a weakened mage, though with magic still alight like the strongest guiding star. Tyr and Hodr have kept Fenris on the right path, and Fenris has little control over his path as everyone's beings attempt to readjust to the angle of the new Facet.

The vast serpent of beige takes a straight route straight through the Diamond, drilling into its edge in his eagerness to reach you, Frey. Easily orienting itself to the new Facet in this way, it leaps for you.

Your only chance to survive is to be resuced before the Norn's cut the cord of your godhood and your life. The Abrominae will not let you go and will eventually succeed in destroying you. Your Magic domain is immediately revoked. If the Abrominae rolls perfectly, you will be destroyed immediately upon the arrival of the Norns.

[requests roll]

Pentday

LADY	Abrominae rolls 20. Hexday

Frey is dead.

The Abrominae is also trying to consume Fenris.

+Abromionae vs Fenris+
Tier: Metagod vs Steepest
Domain: Consumption (Magic) vs Consumption (physical)
Weakness: ???? vs Mental
Circumstance: None vs Unintended Victim
Insight: Why Are You Upside-Down, Soldier? vs None

This is an interesting case, because Fenris has no magic to be consumed, while the Abrominae is not really a physical being. However, being the Steeper god, the Abrominae gets the win.

[requests roll]

Hexday

LADY	Abrominae rolls 20. Heptday

DM	Fenris is torn apart in a whirlwind like a dust storm. What have the rest of the gods been doing? Hrairday

BREGELMIR

/msg DM: I am going to cash in this Favor to remake the Steep Gapbar. This time it's going to be similar but this time a tool of destruction. [pays DM Favor]

Hrairday

ODIN	Frey wanted us to keep up the distraction. Hrairday

BRUNHILDR

I have a suspicion. I ride ahead, where the Abrominae is streaming, and raise my stats with what blessings I have.

Hrairday

DM	The Abrominae scarcely notices. You are of low tier, and he has finally located the source of the magics he has sought. Hrairday

BRUNHILDR

Thought so. That was my idea.

Hrairday

NORNS

Death approved (Frey)
Death approved (Fenris)

Hapday

ODIN

I think our path is clear. All gods who are willing to make a sacrifice: Into the Skidblade Lifeboat! Full speed ahead! We sail for Facets unknown, that our eyes will never be open to see!

Our fate isn't hopeless, though. We'll be waiting for the right time to reawaken. Thus, though Frey was not the mightiest of the gods...Frey, thy sacrifice was the greater than ours.

Biday

JORD	I'll follow my dear husband. My magic is the biggest beacon beside yours, Odin I think. I bless the earth with perfect weather, to hold as long as it can before the forces of chaos tear the perfection apart. Triday

ODIN	Someone should stay. Keep the frost giants back. Tetday

BREGELMIR

Maybe that fight will be brought to you. I don't use magic. I come, wielding a version of the Steep Gapbar made of black ice. With it, I throw down the rainbow bridge and shatter it into trillions of pieces.
The giants all leap back from the bits of fire.
The bridge was probably weakened by the Abrominae, and having been remade. Now I will lead the giants into Asgard on a ramp of ice!

Pentday

ODIN	Haven't you forgotten that you're ugly, stupid, and naked? Pentday

BREGELMIR

Doesn't matter! I've just given these guys a chance to chase you down and eat your flesh, if you don't run! You must all be wounded and probably don't have hardly any magic. Now's the time!

Hexday

THOR	Everyone else get in the lifeboat. I'll use some DMFavor to get inside after its taken off, and join you. Meanwhile, me and my hammer are going to THROW DOWN. My first step is to break that ice while giants are climbing up it! Sound off if you're getting in the lifeboat! (not me!(yet!)) Hexday

ODIN	One. Heptday

JORD	Two. Heptday

LOKI	Hiding! Heptday

BREGELMIR

Our first move is to tear down what's left of buildings, halls, items!!

Hrairday

ODIN	We're taking all of our items with us. I just realized that two is all the sound off we're going to get. Durin, are you going to come? It's your ship. "Rastlyn, I'm not offering thee a ride. I don't even know what thy motivations are, but I don't think they align with those of Asgard." Hrairday

BRUNHILDR

Three!

Hrairday

THOR	I just wait by whatever bits of Asgard look nice still, and when a group of giants comes near to tear it down, I throw the whole building at them and then throw my hammer at something else nearby! Whatever moves - all the good guys are moving out! Hrairday

DURIN

I'm not going to come. I'm going to go explore that gash the Abrominae made in the Diamond. It intrigues I. Perhaps it can lead to new tunnels, to new places. Farewell, Asgardians. May your sleep be restful and no longer than is absolutely necessary.

Hapday

BRUNHILDR

I actually like that plan better. Maybe we can get started on a new world, or find a nice one.

Biday

ODIN	Brunhildr, I want you to take the Brazen Head with you. Perhaps Mimir's wisdom can guide you in your pioneering. Biday

THOR	I'll smite legions of you with lightning! I am less hindered here than I was when we met on Midgard! Biday

RASTLYN

I'll just sneak after these two.

Biday

BREGELMIR

This Gapbar will demolish buildings, fields, even scenic mountains! Faster than you can throw them at us, that's for sure.

Triday

The Asgardians bundle into the great ship of Durin. He fiddles with some controls, mutters some commands, and hurls the ship away over the questing head of the Abrominae. Immediately, that great entity follows, streaking off at great speed. Perhaps they will fly like that forever...until the great family core of Asgard is woken again. Jord, her husband Odin, and their son Thor. Or perhaps the Abrominae will be awakened on some other Facet, his presence demanded by too much magic. The other Facets are not safe from his oily serpentine power.

Nidhogg and his children have not been destroyed. One of his spawn can be seen in the distance, wreaking havoc in some distant part of the Asgardian kingdom. They cause great earthquakes, unhindered: the Asgardians have abandoned the land to its fate.

Somewhere, a spark of fire is kindled by dragonbreath, deep underground and far off. A deep typhoon of fire drilling upward from the blind cavern reaches the surface, opening new doors into the bane-filled heart of the Facet. A pit, a firey twin to Ginungagap, is formed here in the milky eye of Ragnarok raging all around.

+Bregelmir vs Thor+
Tier: Worldcrafter vs Steepest
Domain: Charisma vs Strength
Weakness: Bald Midget vs Mental
DMFavor: None vs Teleport to Ship
Equipment: Destructive Steep Gapbar vs Mjolnir
Circumstance: Kick 'Em While They're Down vs Home Field Advantage
Spell: None vs Thunder
Allies: Legion of Giants, Dragonspawn vs None

Bregelmir, you cannot hope to kill Thor in this encounter. However, you will surely succeed in your objective in reducing all of Asgard to smoking rubble. Thor suddenly disappears, hammer raised over some hapless giant, as I take Thor momentarily into my hands and place him in stasis on the Skidblade Lifeboat.

Triday

BREGELMIR

I make sure nothing is left but little bits to remind any newcomers of what was. I leave building as ruin or as rubble. And I leave fields as ash or scored with trenches. I leave possessions cracked or scattered. My army eats ALL the food. They can have whatever they want, I don't really care. I just leave a few things like I said.

Triday

Another thing, Bregelmir. When you return to the Icy Wastes, you see that things have been changing. Many of your giants have died as the climate shifts. Warm breezes waft from the fiery pit, melting fortresses and drowning mountains. Much remains icy, but much has also become tepid waters and cracking sheets. Giants desert to the ruins of Asgard, to the hidey-holes on Midgard, and you suspect a few have even crept toward the gash in the Facet, as Durin and Rastlyn and Brunhildr have done.

There are rumors of some vast form skulking about in the night, casting shadows of the mountains on the icy plains. None want to go near this form, and some giants who did not flee its advance have disappeared.

Rastlyn, Brunhildr, Durin: The three of you successfully creep to the gash without attracting any undue attention. The inside is smooth yet irregular, and you can see only stars on the other side. You know with a mystic certainty that what you find on the other side will not be mere space, though...
With a nod, you slip in to see what you will find.

Tetday

BREGELMIR

I leave a trap to blast the iciest of cold waves at whoever steps on it. A frost giant should survive just fine, of course, but another might be trapped or wouneded or killed. I'll sneak in and place this trap near where the form was seen.

Tetday

You return to find a pool of steamy water where the trap was. Tremendous footprints in the snow, each footprint as long as a frost giant is tall, lead away from the site. Each site hisses with heat.
Alongside the footprints is another trail, this smooth line apparently carved sharply and cleanly out of the snow, ice, and rock beneath. This too glows with heat.
You also find a single red hair, coarse as iron and as long as your body.

Pentday

BREGELMIR

Screw it. This world is dead. I loot the place, gather up a few minions, and slip through the gash.

I'd also like to raise a campaign god from my campaign to the Culet Tier. His name is Cewri, god of tactics. He is larger than I was at my greatest height, a giant among giants. His laziness is his defining attribute, but he's the kind of guy who will take great pains to avoid effort. He's a master of efficiency. He has pistons which hold his eyelids open.

He comes with me.

Pentday

NORNS

We weep for the destruction of this realm and the hibernation or truncation of the dynamic threads within it. Just think of the tapestry we weave! Would the Tapestry of the Ages really be beautiful if each thread of life ran perfectly straight, did not change hue, and crawled across an empty warp? That is what Odin's ship is doing to the tapestry.

So we have decided to make a contribution. We ensorcel the gash to ensure that it acts as a portal to a usable Facet. In cooperation with the Diamond Master, we have dictated that the smoothed portal will lead to the Pinnacle Facet. Your threads have been transferred accordingly, though it is possible to return to this Facet as well. The portal should be guarded by ward and deed at all times.

Welcome, heroes, gods, and surviving powers. Welcome to the Pinnacle Tapestry and the Diamond Gardens.

Hexday