SF Dev- Planting Egg (6/8)

[15:52] North of the residential district, just along the shore, the woods abruptly grows denser. Thickets of lush green grass and branches choke out the sunlight above. In spite of the growth there is a path through it that provides ingress further into the wood. A small clearing opens in the front of the tower, here the grass only to the height of the Elder's knees.

In the very center is a thicket of brambles, a circle that ensconces a bright green bloom that reaches skyward with leaves outstretched. Barely a sapling, but it thrums with potent and palpable magic of life and renewal. Even the older bird's shuffle becomes a spritely step.

"If you can find something that will help you in that endeavor here, you have only to ask. I've been looking after the growth so far. It's been expanding rapidly."

Ohtli gestures to the large tower. Though it sprang up only a few short years ago it looks as if decades of vines and moss have covered the stones in a thick patina of flora.

"If nothing else, perhaps soon it can become a formidable barrier against further incursion from the east. There are still steps to be taken however. One of which I'd hoped to get your help in today."
(Ohtli Tezcacoatl)
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[15:52] Ohtli Tezcacoatl says, "Asena's gift has already taken root, as you can see. It's doing well with offerings."
[16:01] Marching through the overgrowth, Thera's eyes begin to shine bright, making it easier to see. Within this part of Levengard, she feels oddly at peace. There are no distractions, no crowds, no annoyances. Like a small piece of Eden had already made itself at home.

"...this is beautiful." Stated, while gazing at the sapling. "Hm." Glancing up the tower, it appeared as if this recently erected structure had been her for ages.

Longer than Thera had resided upon Agartha's soils.

"What do you need done?"

Anything to provide protection against the wicked magic of the east isn't something she can deny. Especially not now, with the school opening, and war approaching.
(Thera Elisheva)
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[16:07] The Drakan is clearly proud of the little thicket, smiling as she regards it. There is still so much to do, so much to be done, but her 'child' was growing strong in its center. It is a calm respite away from the bustle of the city, the dense foliage screening out the sights and sounds of far away.

Tranquility and growth reign here. Apart from the two souls standing in its midst, there doesn't seem much room for the folly of men in this place. The tower, overcome by the rampant wash of green, is proof enough.

"It is well attuned to life, as you can already see."

Thera likely needs no explanation in that regard, a magi of nature herself.

"Now it will need to be attuned to the spiritual."

Normally it takes more patting down of her pockets, but Ohtli keeps track of the location of this particular relic in her pockets. It wouldn't due to lose it. She presents a fist-sized, metallic egg to the younger Spiritmancer. Its surface is covered in runic etchings.

"I'd used something of what we did in the lighthouse as an example. To make a tether of sorts to the afterlife. This is an old Agarthan relic. It houses mana. This in particular is the mana of the spirits of the fallen after Gehenna's war with Obsidia. In return for an offering of life, they gave a piece of their essence to this relic.

"As we did with the mirror, and summoning you back through it, I thought we could use the portion of essence the spirits left behind to create a tether or bridge from this relic to the rest of them that have passed on. Your thoughts?"
(Ohtli Tezcacoatl)
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[16:17] Thera simply nods, still glancing around, taking all of this in. While she'd known that Ohtli very well intended to create a forest for the spirits, now that it's come into view? She can almost see the bridges connection, what paths will need to be crossed in order to achieve this dream.

Visions, akin to something a true Oracle would see.

"I don't see why we couldn't." Thera states, after musing over this for a while. "One of the spells I've been creating works the very same way- drawning mana from those in the spirit realm, a small portion of mana from every spirit you've ever contracted. While it's incomplete, it does work, and so-"

Thera rubs her chin for a moment, debating a few of the intricacies to herself.

"I'm sure we could create a safe bridge. Seeing as how many spirits find their way into our realm on their own, we- hm..."
(Thera Elisheva)
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[16:22] "It worked well enough with the soulsteel mirror and the telescope.

"However, there are many, many spirits that contributed essence to this relic. I imagine it would call down any who came to its call if we used it to summon. It would take a substantial amount of energy to do this. Hence why I thought it wise to ask for your help and knowledge."

She hefts the old rune-etched egg. Ohtli can still remember the perils of the cavern it lie in, the moment her mentor discovered it and first imbued it with mana. The harrowing swarms of creatures after.

Surely the old War chieftain would be pleased to know how the relic is being put to use now.

"If we combine it with the sprouting tree in the center, the woods can become a place for them to roam. The surrounding life will be infused with their essence and the essence of the world after. I have a few other pillars crafted of soulsteel and Nyeshk that can be put into place later to further cementthe connection; they contain totems of guardian spirits, too. And, to make sure it remains stable, a shard to keep it maintained.

"Ah...But I'm sorry. I've caught myself rambling."
(Ohtli Tezcacoatl)
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[16:33] As Ohtli lists off the materials and objects in place, Thera nods, humming along. "My thoughts are that- with that many spirits flooding in at once, others would catch on, and follow suit- should they wish to visit our realm. It'd provide not only a bridge to this domain, but a safe place for them to linger.

...and at some point, I could possibly even form a contract with a Warden to help protect them- ah..." Much like Ohtli, she finds herself rambling, finding herself consumed within various thoughts. Where she once turned to work, drowning herself in projects to avoid her problems.

The projects she aims to complete, or help complete, will be the very thing that brings her serenity.

"If we began now, we could allow the passage of roughly two, maybe even three hundred spirits. Anymore, and I think we'll need a proper sacrifice."
(Thera Elisheva)
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[16:41] Thera's rambling doesn't perturb her in the slightest. If anything it makes her feel less bad about her own. She is attentive all the same and ponders the implication.

"Then the totems in the pillars that were made long ago can perhaps bring in guardians or shepherds too. Keep the undesirable out. I know that it's possible this place may become a target. I will not leave it undefended. Part of its job will be -to- defend, after all. But the possibilities are boundless. All manner of things can be grafted into the trees and plants here. Beasts and spirits alike can make it their home."

Ohtli casts a glance up towards the volcano looming in the distance.

"A proper sacrifice in the future perhaps. Maybe the shard can coax more. But two to three hundred? A satisfying number for the time being. Would you join me then?"

The Elder makes way to the center of the grove, gesturing with her hand as if to sweep aside thebrambles. Her blood was the offering that they and the sprout grew from; they bend aside politely, leaving her and Thera unscathed by the prickly thorns.

Standing at the foot of the sapling, she waves for the Oracle to stand with her. Several broad leaves grow together to form a cup which the Elder sets the Agarthan relic into.
(Ohtli Tezcacoatl)
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[16:47] "Certainly."

Passing through the brambles with ease, she makes it to Ohtli's side, eyes affixed to the relic in hand. As the leaves take hold of the ancient item, Thera's eyes come to a close. She takes a few steady breaths, before establishing her connection to the realm of spirits.

Almost as if she were sending an astral projection on the realm of the living, her entire frame becomes transparent and spectral, shedding herself of the prison that is flesh.

"Ready when you are."
(Thera Elisheva)
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[16:56] With the runed egg nestled firmly in the leafy embrace of the central sapling, the Elder prepares for the actual summoning. An old bird, set in her ways, there is only one way she knows best.

Much like the relic, she knows exactly where her sacrificial knife is, drawing it from its sheathe at her belt beneath her coat. Her trusty implement in countless ceremonies and sacrifices. It aids her once again and likely not for the last time. A long, swift cut is drawn down her left forearm, cleaving neatly through scales with a surgeon's precision. Aging or not she still knows her trade.

Putting the knife away she smears the blood on her clawed right hand and infuses it with a touch of mana. It catches fire with a flash of purplish blue flames; she presses her palm onto one half of the egg and it reacts, the lines of light shining all the brighter with the introduction of mana and blood.

The Elder holds her breath and waits for Thera's contribution for the mass summoning to take place.
(Ohtli Tezcacoatl)
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[17:14] Thera's eyes shine bright, gazing upon her circuits alongside the orb. Thousands of tunnels within her circuits are flooded with mana, empowered by her soul, and the spirit within her. A few of these tunnels, her clusters of mana, are given dozens of commands over the time frame of a second.

Channeling most of the mana within her left hand, the palm begins to glow with radiant colors, azure, gold, and ivory, calling upon the three source from which she draws strength- her soul, Shai's spirit, and the blessing of Elisheva.

Prepared to sacrifice this mana for the purpose of calling upon those long fallen, she places her hand on the other side of the relic, engaging in the final act required to embrace a connection with the dead. Where Ohtli is set in her ways, Thera sheds no blood with her sacrifice.

Two spiritmancers offering their mana differently for a common cause.


(Thera Elisheva)
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[17:21] With the two offerings from the Spitimancers, the final stage of the summoning begins. The energy from the runed-egg combines with the sacrifices of blood and essence; two wildly different offerings, but a similar cause, a fitting symbol of unified purpose. From within the artifact the light swells, growing brighter and brighter until it's nigh blinding.

There's an even greater and sudden eye-gouging flashes that lights up the whole clearing, a beacon of pale blue that comes and goes as quickly as a thunder strike. From the center of the grove, from the egg itself, a continuous, incandescent beam shoots upward, into the sky and out of sight somewhere above the clouds.

Wind stirs and shifts the branches and leaves like the prelude to a storm, but no rain hits the ground, though something does begin to descend from the sky. At first, one by one, individual clouds of mist come sailing down from the heavens. They travel along the length of the beam and thefurther they come to the ground the more definite becomes their shape.

Spirits, the fallen that had offered their essence to the relic, begin to filter into the forest at a slow trickle. They set foot onto the grassy carpet, examining themselves and their new surroundings in wonder and amazement.

While the beam is sustained they arrive, summoned from the beyond. And the sprout that holds the egg possessively wraps its leaves around the source of the spiritual tether. It begins to crawl upward in response to the sudden surge of energy, wrapping itself around the 'bridge' of light.
(Ohtli Tezcacoatl)