Mark
*Unfortunately, fate sought fit to deal her Majesty a wildcard among wildcards.*

*Feint chittering cries call from within shadows, an incessant rambling likened to the jumbled thoughts of a mad man spoken aloud. Whispers amidst a swirling wind, conjuring an unnatural liveliness to a once desolate corner within these divine halls. Here space is torn asunder, as though the air were clawed by a creature most mad. These wounds bleed bright illuminous sparkles, who simultaneously shine in all the pretty colours and whose mere presence distorts the world around them. They dance amidst this corner like a shower of confetti, ricocheting off one another in a mad frenzy before finally coalescing for a miniature whirlwind of pure unbridled CHAOS! Which promptly collapsed, falling apart as soon as it manifested.*

*Yet within this surge of madness, a familiar silhouette presented herself by striking a truly spectacular pose.* 

"Ahaaa! Theatrics! Oh we do adore our theatrics! Ahahahahaaaa! Very-very good it is, our spectacularly splendid performance for our theatrical entrances have performed wondrously since our FALL! Aaahhhh! Fun!" 

*Nach's cheers were soon followed with incessant squirming, stumbling forward with a pep in her step, wildly swaying from side to side- barely paying any mind to whatever gods were already present. Save for Majesty of course, who she briefly eyed with a wink and a few thumbs up- whatever that was supposed to mean. Curiously however, our Nach looked quite different from how she usually does. She of course was as strange, sickly, and disheveled as ever. Yet she neglected her usual dress for a stunning if wholly unbefitting jacket, shorts, and a pair of boots. Her hair however was somehow far worse than usual, despite having an arguable upgrade to her wardrobe for at least this occasion.*

"Aaahhhh~! Fun! Fun awaits us all it does, an occasion such as this? Oh we've brought our best Nach, we have! Though really, this Nach should get around to all her silly little ideas. But the nachinations have time they do, they do! They'll wait, they'll wait for at least this- this that'll serve them most Nachly..."

*Nach then lunged forward, grabbed a chair, and started rattling it around.*
Willard
One by one they came, each god arriving to answer her call in their own distinct fashion. A moving skeleton marching with steely intent, its hollow eyes unreadable as it examined the hall. A writhing monster with goatlike horns and far too many tentacles, approaching with an inquisitive wariness despite its bestial air. Bea, tiny and sweet yet far scarier than she appeared, one whom Majesty had only settled on inviting after careful consideration. The Archfiend gave her a wave as she popped out of her squirrely form, both happy and wary at the prospect of including her in this grand event.

Who else? Wyrd, of course, the carnivorous herbivore with his intriguing taste. She met his words with a mysterious smile, before her eyes were drawn by the next. A tall and shapely warrior with an aesthetic that in some ways echoed hers, perhaps signifying a meeting point between their two domains. Majesty made a mental note to speak with him further once their business here was done—as for his friend, the tiny crystal shard, she had no idea *What* To make of that one.

A girl in a grey dress and flower crown, hardy as stone but delicate as the first moment of a snowfall. Ethros, the regal sky god whom she'd seen not long ago, and was all the same delighted to see again. And last but not least... The Nach, possibly the most powerful of all those gathered here and the most difficult to control. Adorable as always, and ever a concerning presence.

*That makes nine.* A fine crop, and she suspected more would make there way here soon. For now, however... No sense in delaying. Before all these myriad personalities started talking over one another, she would take command of the room, and establish a fixed and unified purpose.

*"Ahem."* She cleared her throat, the sound washing over the hall like a tangible, albeit gentle, physical force. It dampened other sounds as it passed, quieting down Nach's incessant rattling just enough for Majesty's smooth and confident voice to be clearly heard over it all. "A welcome to all of Our brothers and sisters, noble children of Gaia! Some of you We were expecting, others of you do not know Us as of yet. No matter: we are all here to create and make change, to form worlds beyond compare around the roots of our mother tree."

She spread her arms wide, as though to embrace all, hug them in a maternal grasp just like Gaia once had with each of them. Smiling, gentle yet self-assured, assuring the other gods with her appearance as well as her words that here stood a leader with their best interests in mind.

"We are Majesty, the Archfiend, She who reigns over rulers and gifts them with strength and leadership. We have visited many of your realms already, and have seen for Ourselves the worth of your own domains. Many are strangers here, so to begin with I would ask each of my dear guests to speak their name in turn. Let all of us make ourselves known, and in doing so come to better know our beloved siblings."

She indicated a guest at random with a small nod of her head, and gave each one a chance to announce themselves however they wished. As they made their introductions, a tightly wrapped scroll materialized behind her shoulder in a burst of sparks, and when the last had finally had their chance to speak it would unfurl itself vertically behind her. A sketching board, a fixed space to draw attention and illustrate her ideas for all to see and understand. First she'd let them give their names, next she'd answer any opening questions they might have and then dive straight into the nitty-gritty of what she hoped to accomplish.
Dale
The crystal chimes softly from its perch at the middle of the room.

"I am Rav'nixander. Yet-to-be-made. God of mortal progress and mortal freedoms. I have one question, concerning your role as monarch of gods."

It shines, momentarily blazing like a blue star.

"On whose authority?"
Joseph
"I am Mr Bones, god of the dead, undead and dying. It seems that I have intruded on some grand plan created by our host. While I do not want to be quick to judge, I must ask: who are you to reign over us, over our mortals? Are we not all equals in the eye of Gaia? Why have you called us here?"

Mr Bones didn't like this 'Majesty' already, she seemed evil or at the very least somewhat malignant. After all, what self respecting good aligned god would willingly give themselves the title of The Archfiend?
Elizabeth
"... I am agraothrust" *The large eldritch entity stated after waiting it's turn, it spoke threw many mouths but its main one was the loudest. Clear to hear as it seemed to send shivers down the spines of anyone who could hear it, there many mouths whispering filled the air around them as if tendrils reaching out for prey* 

"I am a new God... Born of the one we call mother, I am not familiar with you all. But I feel as if I belong. I know by heart I am the god of eldritch and dark spawn, of broods and children. Protector of there lives and the mother and father of the unnatural." 

*Unlike many of the others he didn't question the goddesses claim of rule or power, they had no care or concept for such things after all. Being born to love and create but not rule or challenge, Like a firm but gentle parent*
Tiffany
Bea took a seat, her tail wagging furiously. Her first ritual. How exciting. Of course, there were things that could dampen her mood, being teased for her age was a prime example. She fixed Soldr with an annoyed stare, giving him an unwavering view of her bright, star-shaped eyes behind her half mask. The stars, surrounded by void, could be quite unnerving when presented in such a manner. 

Luckily, her attention turned to Majesty as she started to speak. The only deity who was intimidated by the Child Goddess. How novel. Of course, Bea didn't know what it meant to be feared. Not really. It would bother her if she did.

**"Hello! I'm Bea, goddess of childhood, games, whimsy, and um..."** She trailed off, trying to recall her final domain. **"Oh yes! Childish mischief."**

Unlike the others, Bea did not feel like she belonged here. A child amongst adults. Sloppy amongst the skilled. Tiny amongst the tall. At least there were gods she knew: Majesty, who had paid Wonderland a visit, and Calena, who was fun to sled with. Small comforts, but enough to keep Bea from getting scared and fleeing.
Nathaniel
"Hello, dearest siblings." Wyrd said, dipping his great head into a low bow as he addressed the gathered gods. It seemed that every day there was a new face to greet, a prospect that was as daunting as it was exciting.

"I am Wyrd, second-born of Gaia and the god of monsters. I greet you all, particularly those who I am yet to be acquainted with."

As he said this, the great deer cast a quick glance at his siblings. They all seemed agreeable enough, though first impressions could be deceiving. Regardless of how much he trusted his siblings, Wyrd was sure to keep his wits about him.
Cynthia
*Oooh, be careful, Majesty,* Ethros thought to himself, *Coming on a bit strong now.*

Though, to be honest, he didn't care whether she tried to rule over the gods or not, as long as she didn't become a real problem to him or his realm. Though, truth be told, he doubted she'd do that. Not to him, anyway. Of course, if this keeps up, politics could derail the whole ritual, and neither he nor Majesty could have that, now could they?

He gave a small tap on the floor, which resounded loudly through the hall, and began his damage control and attempt to return to both his and Majesty's current goal. "Perhaps we should save the larger politics for after this somewhat smaller goal has been reached, hmm?" He locked eyes with Majesty for an instant, before continuing, "Calm, and let cooler heads prevail."

The deity then looked around and addressed the assembled gods, "I am Ethros. God of the Sky, Skyfather, Shining Light and Blotting Darkness, and I'm sure my mortals will continue coming up with new titles, but I shall stick with those for now."

He looked around and took a deep breath, "As I said, perhaps we should allow her to speak before jumping too quickly to conclusions. I am, however, pleased to meet my fellow divinities."

Again, he briefly locked eyes with Majesty, a silent show of support.
Lee
The door to the Hall of the Gods creaked open, though the Great Locust wasn't here for the ritual. She had decided to pay the Hall a visit upon another bout of nagging from her Guardian, and had only happened upon the surprisingly populated area. As usual when meeting with other gods, she had taken a humanoid shape, wearing the face of a beautiful young woman with golden hair like fields of wheat. "That's a lot more of you here than normal." She observed out loud, placing her hands on her hips and tilting her head at the assembled divinities. 

Were she a mortal, she might be clueless, but she closed her eyes and used her divine power to peek into the intent in the room. None here were really trying to hide what this was for, after all, so she encountered no resistance to her probe as she divined the information. "A ritual of magic..." She hummed. There it was again, a word that she recognised, one that she understood, and yet one that she had no reason to understand. Another mystery that hid itself even from the sight of the gods, the sight of one of Gaia's divine fruits. How interesting. "Well, there's a lot of you here I've never spoken to, so I suppose I should introduce myself."

She placed a hand on her chest, "I am Triticea of the Harvest." It might not seem like a particularly impressive portfolio at first, but the harvest was something that almost every mortal civilisation needed to thrive. She didn't elaborate, though, not feeling particularly interested in standing out with grandiose titles. Her siblings seemed to enjoy flattering themselves with arbitrary epithets, but she had no interest in flaunting the names that mortals had seen to title her. Agriculture was not something that often stood out, after all, as kings and queens and knights fought bloody wars. Agriculture was powerful, but it was quiet as well, and as the embodiment of it she had no interest in making herself seem anywhere near as powerful as she truly was.
Mary
It seemed that leaving a part of themself to wander about the Great Tree was a wise idea, as should have been expected. A great many deities were gathering at the Hall of Gods, clearly for some grand purpose - something that would change the fabric of the world. And despite their young age, they needed to be a part of it. Anything less would be unacceptable.

In a few moments, Onesifi transferred the vast majority of their power back to their formerly invisible shard, seemingly popping out of nowhere somewhere on the margins of the Great Hall. The heron-winged deity took a moment to shake themself off - such sudden transportation was still not something they had grown used to. They ran their hands around themself, almost as if dusting themself off after falling in some dirt, before taking a moment to look around the hall.

There were a great many deities here, almost all more powerful and elder than them. The only familiar faces they could spot for now were Mr. Bones, who seemed displeased with the whole proceedings and Triticea, who, Onesifi guessed, arrived not much earlier than them. On any case, one figure definitely stood out: the large, demonic-looking woman who, judging by her presence, definitely was the one who began this gathering.

Onesifi cleared their throat, trying to hide a certain amount of nervousness coming from the expectation of having to walk on a metaphorical tightrope, and proclaimed to the divinities around them. "My greetings to everyone who has come here, siblings. I am Onesifi, the one who stokes aspirations and guides travelers to their destinations. My excitement to participate in this," This probably wasn't a mere feast or diplomatic meeting, "Ritual with the rest of you is truly immeasurable."
Ralph
Soldr had taken his seat next to Rav'ni, relaxing in it as he watched the other gods file in. He'd found he liked seeing the strange forms other gods took. He himself was a bit of a minimalist with his default form, but that was mostly because his true form was very unwieldy. When Bea gave him a stare, she could see Soldr waver a little, looking guilty. That was another god she'd managed to cow. Soldr was a tough badass god of destruction who looked like Conan the Barbarian, but he did have a big weakness for small cute things and didn't want to hurt her feelings.

If Bea managed to make him falter a little, Nach completely bewildered him, the huge warrior staring befuddled as she tore through space and time and then began jabbering like a mad woman. After several seconds of her ranting, he broke into laughter.

"Pffthaha~ That was a pretty great Nach." He cackled, finding the display very entertaining. When Majesty began the meeting in earnest, he leaned on the table, his chin resting on his fist. 

"Well met. I am Soldr. God of Creation and Destruction." He said. He was smiling slightly, showing fanged teeth like those of a wolf. He seemed to be used to speaking in front of crowds. Maybe he even enjoyed it. Soldr watched as the others protested, including Rav'ni next to him, but he seemed completely unconcerned. 

"If I can make my followers stronger, I'm interested in hearing what she has to say." He said nonchalantly. If Majesty had a deal he didn't like, he'd just back out and leave.
Mark
"Rick-rack rattle-rattle... Rick-rack rattle-rattle..."

*The mad god murmured unto herself, continuously rattling a chair without much thought nor consideration for Majesty's speech. Fortunately, all our Nach's commotion was muffled by the Archfiend's own speech, as was whatever she said beneath her breath- rendered inaudible to all but her alone.* 

"Shake-shake does the chair, hear its noise... What pleasant noise! Noise? No, music, music to our ears! Oh we ought to concoct silly little mortals to play silly little chairs, musical chairs they'll be! Aahhh~! We could bring a whole band together, a band of delightful monsters... Yes-yes! What splendid thoughts in our gathering, the gathering of all these... Others, these creatures. See them writhe, wriggle like worms. Ew. Worms. Gross."

*Nach shivered in disgust at the thought of worms, the rattle of her chair meandering on even after Majesty's speech and into the introduction of these Others. She certainly didn't look it, but our Nach paid special consideration to what all everyone said, a broad smile crossing her lips as she heard others call into question Majesty's authority. An expected development, but it served her interest in supporting this Archfiend even more- she clearly had what it takes to stir trouble around here! When at last came time for Nach to introduce herself, the rattle of their chair came to an abrupt close and she hoisted herself onto it for a makeshift podium, bowing before the crowd with dramatic waving of arms.*

"Helllloooo~... CREATURES! We're the estranged one, a creature of a kind ourselves! What's more, we're Maji-Maji's dear beloved friend! Oh we remember all our days together, what fun we had! What fun! What a mind for wonder she has, an interest of a kind that'd interest you all... Aahhh~! Ahahahaaa... HA!" *She clapped her hands together, wriggling around atop the chair.* "We? Oh we? Oh you could call us so many things, most of which are quite-quite rude! We however most prefer, NACH! Nach of The Nachening! Here to- to NACH your socks off! Ahahaaa! God of CHAOS & *Change* This Nach, it is a pleasure of a kind to witness you... Others."

*If any actual meaning could be extrapolated from, whatever that was, it was the girl's apparent madness and how she subtly supported Majesty's claim- if however she's aware of her own support isn't clear.*
Josephine
Stepping over to the chair next to Bea, she of course recognized the child goddess, Triticea who had just entered the Hall, and Wyrd, whom she was speaking with in his realm simultaneously. Her consciousness was distracted by the part of her in the Primeval Mists, but realized that she was the last one to speak here. 

*Shit.* She wasn't too keen on others staring at her. Ironic, considering that she wanted everyone to gaze upon the pure wonders that were mountains. Well, time to take the wisdom of her own realm and be strong. 

"Greetings my kin, brothers, and sisters. I'm Calena, goddess of mountains and herbal medicine. Some might call me Keeper of the Peaks. Honestly, I am here because of my own curiosities, but if I would be able to help grow our realms, contribute to something greater, I am more than willing."

She reached into her satchel and pulled out a handful of bright red berries, mindlessly popping one into her mouth. Some of the mortals in her realm called these *Baneberries*, and while Calena advised them not to eat any, she rather liked the spicy yet sweet flavor these gave. 

She was unsure if everyone would get along for now, as the tension in the room was growing a bit thick. Calena didn't really care one way or the other if someone was good or bad. Nature itself was good and bad, beautiful and deadly, a giver and a thief. One ideal could not exist without the other. 

"Berries, anyone?"
Daniel
Bustle and din, change and alteration. It seemed there was truly no rest upon this world that Gaia had formed, not even for the Goddess of Dreams herself. Vivienne's innumerable, unconscious eyes had always been turned towards the Hall. After all, it was *The* Gathering place for gods, one she'd used several times herself to rally allies to her causes. And now, a new deity was calling upon her siblings. One she'd never met before, followed by many she hadn't seen. Truly, the roster of the gods was as ever-changing as the mortals under their protection. Deities gathered, introductions were spoken, and the witch herself finally decided to make her appearance. She couldn't pass up an opportunity to participate in another ritual, after all. 

Shadows flickered and light wavered. A figure lingered at the edge of sight, tall and formless, somehow always in the periphery as it made its way across the hall, to the table, and pulled up a seat. For a few minutes, it sat quietly, waiting, observing, and when a lull in the introductions finally fell, it spoke up. "A pleasure to meet you, newcomers." With those words spoken, her tone calm, low, but unmistakably feminine, the illusion was broken. Suddenly, Vivienne was sitting there as though she always had been, a few plates of sweets scattered across the table in front of her. Various cookies and cupcakes, all the product of her long practice for Silly's birthday party, and all clearly open to take. "And hello again to those I have met before." Her gaze silently passed over the few she recognized. The witch's moth wings wrapped around her body, pooling in her lap like a blanket, and with two of her four arms, she straightened out one of her antennae.

Her all-black eyes fell upon the one who gathered them all last, the one who called herself 'Majesty.' Vivienne stared for a few, long moments, studying the woman closely as she organized her thoughts. There was something... Off, here. She was undoubtedly attractive, imposing, *Definitely* The witch's type, but at the same time... "My name is Vivienne. Dreamer, diviner, and witch." As she introduced herself, she gave a small nod. "I have heard whisperings that the advent of magic is upon us. As I and my children have thus far been the only magic bearers, at least to my knowledge, it's only natural that I should lend my aid."
Terri
Keres was not one of the gods Majesty had called here, though that was not a constraint to her arrival. There was plenty of theatrics and grandiose entrances, though that was not the domain of Keres, she was as much for theatrics as a tiger was for letting its prey know it was there and that was to say, not at all. She did not remember much of Gaia, she had spilled from a rotten fruit and fallen to the Far Realms where she took up home, untouched by their mothers branches and completely isolated. In a mockery of her first birth, though surely none of her siblings had witnessed it to truly know, Keres appeared from a rotten looking gash in the wall, one that closed behind her and left the goddesses form standing in shadow. While seeing in the dark was a mindless feat for a god, the shade which coalesced around Keres was different, more like smoke than anything and almost assuredly not mundane in its nature.

The Wild Frenzy stood united, all three of her minds quiet at the overwhelming amount of godly essence in the room. Pursuit in particular was quiet at the amount of prey before her, so much to chase and eat one day. Prey sat content, she saw a room of potential protectors or killers, but she was unbothered by them all. Panic was characteristically dumbfounded, she could not fathom WHY Keres had decided to enter this room where she would surely die though within Keres mindscape, Panic was also quickly crushed by Pursuit. Keres' physical form remained stable, unfaltering as her minds began to fight and she had to will Prey to win, she needed a logical mind for what was to come. Her eyes glowed a dull orange and her hair was soaked with blood, bits of gore caught within her raven black locks. Her body was equally covered in viscera and her long hair rather than traditional clothing, though everything remained covered.

◾

Keres, with the body of Prey, was beautiful. The very few parts of her skin that could be seen through the gore and rivulets of blood that seemed to flow eternally down showed itself with a sienna coloring and surprisingly bright golden undertones. Her eyes lacked a sclera and so her gaze seemed large and as if it sought to peer through you. Her face was well sculpted and delicate, her body was shapely. That was where the seemingly normal ended. A pair of delicate faun horns pushed out from her brow and the shadow swirling around her coalesced into a cloak or something akin to a pair of wings and a great swaying tail. Fur adorned her legs, misshapen into those of an animals up to the knees and her hands which featured the claws of a bear. Lastly was the air around her which hardened as if made of glass shards and caused her features to appear too sharp and wrong to be real. 

Striding quietly and slowly around the edges, Keres listened to each one of her siblings talk, her eyes never leaving Majesty. She was certain they'd met before, but she couldn't place when at the moment. Keres decided at that moment, an echo of a decision she'd made in the past, that she would adhere to Majesty. This ritual she knew was something to do with magic, to do with giving the mortals a power of their own to harness. Keres would like that she thought, to turn her domains into a digestible form of magic that a mortal could touch, another way for her to ruin their minds and spread fear among them. She wondered for now, if Majesty knew her name already or if the meeting in her mind had yet to happen and decided not to speak just yet. Instead she would remain on the fringes and let the cold trickle of fear that invades your mind when you know you're being hunted grace the mind of everyone in the room, just the slightest brush of fear but fear nonetheless, something a god might be unaccustomed to.
Willard
So many auspicious names, and nearly all bringing with them powerful and influential domains. Majesty couldn't have been more pleased at this turnout. If she managed to get even half of the gods in this hall to lend their power to the cause, then the ritual was sure to take effect across even the most distant reaches of the Far Realms.

Or course, there were some who sought already to cast suspicion on her and her aims. Seriously. They hadn't even finished the introductions yet and she was already dealing with this much? The Archfiend truly had her work cut out for her here, though she supposed she should have expected as much when dealing with the gods themselves. Try herding cats when each of those cats can shatter mountains on a whim.

*Rav and Bones.* Those we're the two she needed to mollify first. But for a moment she kept quiet, looking to each of the speaking gods in turn, meeting Ethros's eyes and shooting him a brief smile of appreciation. She gently patted Nach's hair as she ambled past, and even accepted a berry from Calena with a quiet word of thanks. Then, when Vivienne had finished speaking and Keres made her entrance, Majesty's assertive voice once more swept forth to fill the room.

"Well met, beloved siblings. We are glad to know you all, more than any words can say." She turned her gaze towards Bones and Rav, speaking to them but making sure the room heard. "Let Us first clear the air of misunderstanding. We made no claim to be *Monarch of Gods,* But We are the *God of Monarchs,* So to speak. That is the duty bestowed on Us by Gaia—and We value it just as each of you surely value yours." She met Mr. Bones's... Empty sockets, but found herself unable to judge his reaction—ah well. When in doubt, forge ahead regardless.

"Some of you asked why We called you here. Some of you already have an inkling. We ask now that you lend us your attention, so that We may explain the matter at hand.

"We are all gods of great power. We can shape creation to our will, cast our eyes far and wide, and even bestow gifts upon those mortals whom we favour. We are also not without limits. Some powers stay bound within the borders of our respective realms, and even we can only pay attention to so many places at once."

She gestured out towards Gaia's roots, and the numerous worlds upon them. "There are thousands of mortals now, and more appearing every day. We cannot know of all that transpires among them, especially in those realms hidden by some means. 

"Now imagine, if you will: what if there was some mortal out there who was wholly devoted to your domains? One so passionate in their dedication, so good a fit, that they would surely deserve reward—and yet, should they exist in the realm of another, you might never know of them. All those souls, worshipping you in their own small ways, and but never seeing the fruits of their excellence, and dying ignorant of your true glory and magnanimity. Oh, we grant boons to our chosen ones, but we will never be able to reach them all, especially as their numbers continue to grow and grow.

"Thus! I propose a new system." She clapped her hands together, showing a wide smile to all the gathered gods. Behind her, bright sparks began to travel across her unfurled scroll, burning tiny dark trails into the parchment.

_ _
"Beyond the bounds of creation, We have a plane of Our own. It can bring forth near-limitless material and energy, but none of it can ever leave—quite a waste, in Our opinion." A shape was sketched out on the scroll, that of a bright ember floating in the void. "With this ritual, however, we can make proper use of it for all our benefits. If we gather our strength together, it should become possible to allow for connections between the Demiplane and the mortal worlds. Temporary, of course, but enough for mortals to draw upon a little of its power for their own ends." A vague humanoid figure appeared on the scroll, and a line extended between it and the floating ember, signifying their brief union.

"Now, how does this benefit us gods? There is no use in granting mortals unfettered access to such raw energies, for there are those among them foolish enough to lay waste to our valued creations. This is where *You* All come in, dear siblings. We need not only your strength for this effort, but your minds as well, to determine appropriate *Costs* For this energy, and the various magical *Forms* It can take. Let Us illustrate.

"Say there was a god of the dance, a patron of rhythm and motion. They might devise a system whereby mortals who danced long and passionately might cause plants to grow where they willed." The scroll unfurled further, revealing a new blank space, and upon it a dancing figure appeared, surrounded by sprouting flowers. "Alternatively, a god of wealth. They could make it possible for mortals to shape the earth with a sacrifice of precious metals." Another drawn figure, offering up a chunk of gleaming gold as a ready-made house rose from the earth in front of them.

"The greater the price—the more the mortals dedicate to the domain in question—the greater the result." Now the dancer dripped with the sweat of several hours' exertion, while tall trees grew all around her. The wealthy mortal offered up a whole pile of gold, and a huge castle carved itself from the earth before him. "Those who prove themselves worthy, by their acts and their sacrifices, will be rewarded by us, even if we know them not. Those most devoted will excel amongst their peers, and draw more to give their efforts to better knowing our domains. And all without us needing to lift a finger!" 

Majesty spread her arms wide, having arrived at last to the triumphant conclusion of her pitch. "We ask of you to join Us in this—in granting these gifts to all mortals, and thus ensuring that our domains forever find devotees across all the realms. Each of those who aids Us may choose a form of magic to be drawn from the raw energies of Our demiplane, and each in turn may decide what price the mortals pay, and how they prove themselves worthy to make full use of the magic you create."

There it was. Incentives for worship, not through mere prayer but through sacrifice, understanding, and dedication. They were all gods here, and she hoped they too would see the obvious benefits... Not just of the ritual overall, but for those participating in it. *After all, with such clear and universal incentives... Who would not want to worship a god, if they could shape their world in exchange?*
Mary
As the deities settled around the great table, Onesifi took their seat as well. More and more deities arrived at the hall for this ritual - Onesifi was not the last one to the ball, which was already a good sign for themself; arriving late to the party was usually considered to be impolite, although who knew with this unstable universe - none of whom Onesifi, unfortunately, knew. So they had to look a bit back in the flow of time to learn the names of all who were involved - listening to introductions was certainly easier than trying to pick the deities one by one through the ritual.

For a second, the deity of ambition was interrupted by Calena, the mountain goddess, to try out some of the berries. And honestly, Onesifi saw no reason why they should have refused. "I would not mind taking a few from you, Calena, if you would be so kind."

A moment after they asked this question, a feeling of fear suddenly lashed out at them - a chill running down their spine, their body treacherously attempting to shut down in response to the feeling of being hunted. This feeling, and this context around them, almost seemed like it had hap~ **No.** The past did not exist, and Onesifi did not wish to make it. At least that was what they told themself.

Thankfully, this feeling was quickly interrupted by Majesty's speech - something that Onesifi listened to intently, even forcing themself to remain in the chair and having to satiate the constant desire for movement by mere swinging of the legs and drumming on the table with their fingers.

The whole idea seemed quite amenable to the deity of ambition. A way to obtain even a fraction of divine power through such easy means would definitely help all mortals to reach their goals - and in so doing, set new ones ever greater than they had before. Of course, it was impossible for them to truly reach divine levels, but they would try - and in that, they would create movement.

Onesifi's mind was already working on the ways their magic could manifest itself, but for now, they had to talk. Obviously, an enthusiastic approval would potentially sway Majesty's opinion of them in a way that could make her amenable to helping them. As obvious was the fact that asking questions would show the hall that they were not a mere thrall to be ordered around. So they had to grasp for some loopholes in Majesty's ideas.

In a few moments, they rose up from the table, pacing around it, no longer able to contain the energies inside them. "Let it be known that I am in support of this idea as a whole. However, I do have some questions that need to be answered before we proceed in earnest. First of all, I have to express some doubt at the prospect of making all magic connect to your demiplane. As much as I believe you to be a just and generous ruler, Your Majesty," Some empty praise it was; they could not truly judge her for lack of information, but they had to hope flattery would soften whatever reaction she would have to the question, "We, as the other deities, have no true guarantee that you would not one day shut off these connections without our consent. Would it not be wiser to create a common demiplane, where none would truly rule and therefore no one could truly hold all the magic in this world hostage?"

Their heart skipped a beat. The first die was cast, and Onesifi could only see how it would land.
Tiffany
Bea half-listened to her siblings' introductions. She could only hear so many before they started to blend together into one long, monotonous lull. Bea snapped back to attention when a newcomer appeared at the table, but that was only because she brought with her sweets.

Bea glanced around to make sure no one was looking, then leaned over the table and pulled one of the plates towards her, ceremoniously dumping its contents onto her own plate before returning it to its original spot.

She listened intently to Majesty's pitch while slowly devouring her collection of sweets. Magic sounded lovely, though Bea struggled to wrap her head around its finer details. Already she was formulating how her magic would function, not bothered by the concerns some of the others voiced. She couldn't fret the details if she didn't yet understand them. But of course, there were *Some* Things that needed clarification, but they weren't the same kind of things that worried her siblings.

**"I like this magic stuff, but does it *Have* To be practical, or can it just be fun for the sake of fun?"** Bea asked. A bit of a silly question, but she was sure no one would mind.
Dale
"Alternatively, the power could be drawn from the gods themselves. I am willing to create my own battery realm as additional reserves if we remain on a planar energies archetype, however."

The floating crystal known as Rav'nixander was again very quick to speak up. Really, it was because it was already analyzing the situation, questioning the motives of the room. The clarification of domains was a little comforting to it, but something about monarchy as a concept itched poorly at its ideals. But this is what the debate hall was for, a place to let ideals collide and form a synergistic whole.

"Additionally, I would like to pitch the domain of Creation Magic: The ability for mortals to access the reflexive creative abilities of the divine."
Ralph
Soldr had relaxed in his chair, watching as everyone introduced themselves. He wasn't just here to weigh in: He was curious about all of the other gods, and made a mental note of each one. Calena in particular got his attention. He was never one to turn down free food, and in fact, berries were often a treat in his past life.

"Thank you, Calena." He said, his tone deeply reverent. Bringing snacks was in particular a deeply respected act where he was from. He took one and popped it into his mouth while he sat back down. Soldr kind of wanted to get a cupcake, but by that time it looked like Majesty was starting so he sat and occasionally glanced at the sweets Bea had swiped.

When Majesty spoke, he watched her presentation on the scroll with his chin rested in his hands. He found her very very convincing, and the idea did spark the imagination. He loved his followers, and he wanted them to grow stronger. But like Onesifi, the part about all of the essence being gathered from Majesty's demiplane raised his eyebrows. He seemed to be deep in thought while Onesifi spoke, but once he was done, he rose slightly. He seemed comfortable speaking in public, maybe even good at it.

"I think it's a wonderful idea." He said, grinning slightly, then turning to look at Onesifi. 

"She told us how it works. If it came to that you could just come over to Rav'ni's battery realm." Soldr noted. "She'd basically be as beholden to us as we would be to her." He seemed to be deep in thought as he tented his fingers together.

"How much access do we have to this demiplane? I think we need some guarantee we can't just have it shut off on a whim if we're going to commit."

"I'm not wholly against putting you in charge of it because I sure as hell wouldn't want every god in the cosmos bothering me to keep their magic on. If you'd give us unfettered access to the demiplane that would work." Soldr said, smiling slightly. He leaned back in his chair, seeming to think as he slowly spun. "But I think a magical commons like Onesifi suggested might be the most efficient option."
Cynthia
Ethros hummed to himself, listening to both the proposal and the contention that the other gods had in regards to the idea. 

He couldn't deny that having Majesty's own demiplane could be a potentially dangerous situation should she decide to somehow stop the energy output. However, in a way, this actually worked out better for the gods besides her. She'd likely be bothered in the event of conflict. However, he couldn't bring himself to agree to the idea of unfettered access.

He let out a sigh, the noise coming out as whistling gusts of wind, and spoke, "I'm fine with her demiplane being the main source. Even in the event of it being cut off from us, our own wills would be enough to sustain the abilities of our realms."

He leaned forward somewhat, "However, I'll also not agree to us having unfettered access to her demiplane. Consider this," Ethros looked around, "No one would want other deities messing about unrestricted, particularly in the potential afterlives of our mortals. I would never accept that, and therefore will never ask that of Majesty."

He clasped his hands audibly, "However, I would be unwilling to accept a common source in the event of a potential deity spawning in the future with more malignant intentions. Don't want a well of power ripe for the taking."

He then leaned back, relaxing his shoulders and fiddling with his necklace of frozen lightning.

"Having said that, I'm putting forward the Magic of Atmokinesis: Control over local weather conditions. I'd also add in the caveat to shut down or bar certain magics within our own realms."
Sidney
Aphot's Yggdrasil ghost watched from afar with popcorn and sunglasses.
Nathaniel
Wyrd let out a snort and swished his tail, something would have been harmless for a normal deer but was a slightly terrifying display for something his size.

"This well of power would hardly be 'ripe for the taking'. A newborn god would not be any more capable of claiming it than one of the gods bound to it."

Wyrd fell silent for a few seconds as he considered to ponder the ritual that Majesty was proposing. 

"That said, it concerns me little on the exact source of this power. What concerns me is the power itself." 

The god of monsters pawed at the ground absent-mindedly, staring out a nearby doorway to look at Gaia stretching out into the cosmos.

"I am not against it in and of itself, but the idea of a mortal wielding the power of a god because they want it bad enough... It's absurd, isn't it?"

The god of monsters turned back to face the group, lowering his neck to eye level with them. A mirthful tone entered his voice, as if he would be grinning if he had a human face.

"I will put forward a field of 'magic', as well as a rule for magic in general. A caveat for it's use. Magic should be for the strong, for the creatures that we put more of ourselves into."

"As such, I propose this: when a creature uses magic, they must be strong enough to fight it, to bend it to their will. Any mortal, barring the most powerful, is at risk of the power consuming them when the they use magic. The stronger the mortal, the less likely this is to occur."

Wyrd let the idea settle over the group for a few moments before continuing.

"Now, I could accept some variance here. Perhaps a minor spell can be handled without much risk to your average mortal. But anything beyond a mere convenience, a mortal should have to decide: is great power great worth great danger?"
Elizabeth
*He watched the other gods, each one with each eye- viewing them, judging them, looking as deep into them as he could. From the near eldritch and chaotic that rivaled his own strangeness, to other divine beings who gave off a feeling of beasts and strengh, darkness as well as fangs and claws. There was a few who gave off a more peaceful or a mixed presence but he recognized most if not all of these divine beings where older and most likely much more powerful then he was, still he felt no hatred or even fear any longer as he watched the goddess who seemed to hold the most power, or atleast the most power in authority and attention. Majesty, and from her words the goddess of monarchs*

*He looked over the others, a strange goddess who repeated random noises over and over again and radiated a feeling that made even him rather concerned, a monstrous being that he felt closer to as kin then the others. But not many caught his attention further then that, still he kept one of his eyes focused on each of the gods. Which wasn't difficult considering his hundreds of eyes along his body, his whispering never ceased either as it filled the area around him* 

"Magic... Yes... I will do my best to lend my power, as for a magic I'd like to propose eldritch magic of the beyond, magic dealing with the mind and the unnatural such as spirits, insanity, illusions and even sound mimicry... I have other magics but I shall not proceed further then Is welcome..."
Lee
The goddess of the harvest frowned. "I have no use for mortal devotion. I have better things to do than toying with them to inflate my ego." She snorted, shaking her head. The *Incentive* Offered was no incentive at all, but she wasn't opposed to the idea of such a creation. Furthermore, as a bit paranoid of a divinity by nature, she did not enjoy the idea of something like this behind held by a goddess who did not hold its portfolio. "To tie it to a demiplane like that would grant you power over a domain you do not have. Careful, sister, of bending the purpose you were given and the will of our Mother." She warned, shaking her head in disapproval.

Wyrd's idea, too, made her let out a derisive snort. "Really, brother? Force our little paper dolls to tear themselves to shreds for a glimpse of power? How... Impractical." She shook her head in disagreement again, finding the idea even worse than Majesty's proposed demiplane suggestion. "If you're so terrified that the little fragile things might one day reach our heights, then only offer them a diluted version of our power. A scythe that reaps a thousand stalks of wheat slowly is better than one that can reap just ten in the blink of an eye." She gave her two cents on why the idea of mortals needing to be strong to use magic was stupid.

"If you're *So* Scared, limit what they can do, or how many times they can do this... Magic." She shook her head. "I have no interest in allowing my children to burn themselves into husks." She may not have any problems with killing mortals that affected her, but that suggestion just seemed unnecessary and even a little corny. If necessary, she would carve out a caveat in magic to protect her children from that mockery of power while also setting her own limitations to remind them not to get too big for their britches. She had no intention of allowing her children to harm themselves for no good reason like her brother was suggesting here.
Loretta
Suzuhime had tagged along with the pair of deities she had been following around since arrival, not particularly in any reason for the crystal as much as she was enjoying its company but in Soldr's case, at least partly out of a desire to continue to use him for cover... Not that he really needed to know that, she liked him too after all... But being this exposed to well... Existence, not being within her dormitory of circutry left her feeling exposed and vulnerable... Given that the meeting was now underway though, and that introductions seemed to be in order... She materialized herself from the cloud of metalic fog she has been using for such a task, nothing really new or flashy here... That wasn't really how she operated.

"Suzu... Suzuhime", She introduced herself with a polite bow, taking her more obviously mechanical of her two forms, before looking around a bit and deciding to copy the others in there mannerisms of taking a seat in the ornate room and on the ornate chairs... Honestly even this was a bit much for her, while she wasn't against a display of wealth, these objects for sitting were... Not quite like what she was used too, nor was its display in quiiiite this fashion.

"My domain is humanities servants, automation..."

Then, Majesty began to explain the purpose of the meeting, and honestly she didn't really have much in the way of stuff that she could say as a total objection, it sounded like a pretty decent system all things considered, but some questions were beginning to form in her mind that she wanted to ask before she fully committed her support.

"I... Am not opposed to the idea in theroy, but if we are already debating control over the system... Why don't we just... Also implement a system of countermagics at the same time, something which provides no direct power on its own, but rather offers the option of rejection... Ideally with nearly equivalent costs to the magic itself... Would providing the option to say no not go a long way to help prevent the ability of abuse?"
Mark
"Geehhh?"

*Majesty's hand graced the hair of our Nach, and was followed shortly thereafter by a curious yet fleeting confusion. Her gaze momentarily shifted onto Majesty, following the Archfiend's walk around the hall of gods before swiftly their attention unto our Nach's own head. Petting wherever it was her dear beloved friend graced, before broadening their touch into long strokes through this mangy mangled hair.*

"Pet-pet! Pet the Nach... What a nicety, a pleasurable one indeedly..."

*Our Nach's fanciful mind would've wandered away if not for Majesty's efforts to grab everyone's attention, and explain in detail whatever she had in mind for their splendid endeavour. Certainly did the prospect of magic pull our Nach's attention back to reality, and for the foreseeable future her fanciful mind was anchored to quite a fanciful idea. Already did our Nach dream of terribly terrific troubles, whimsical wonders, magnificently malignant manifestations, a power of Nachening! With aspirations so Nachial, our Nach could hardly contain herself and in the course of these plans she began giggling like mad! Excitedly wriggling around in that chair of hers, and very nearly falling off on more than one occasion.*

*...But alas this wonder was fleeting, for the more our Nach listened the more... Perturbed she felt.*

*Our Nach's excited wobbling slowed to a crawl, before coming to a close. Her incessant shaking became stilted, monotonous, without feeling. Her giggling too fell short, and what followed was an eerie silence accompanied by a mad but malevolent stare fixated not on any one god but the room as a whole. Her eyes were like knives, for these ears were cut so deeply by all these-* "Words-words-words-words..."

*So many words, such little sense. Without warning Nach snatched a plate right off the table, biting straight into it and shattering the dish into pieces- chewing on whatever was in her mouth.*

"Words-words-words! So many WORDS, such little SENSE!" *She crunched on another piece of plate, putting on a pair of glasses that served only to worsen her vision.* "We reject this nonsense you speak, this nonsense of barring certain magi-magics from your silly little realms. Doing so serves in defeating our combined purpose, it's dreadfully dull, and we've no desire to allow what a worthless COV-E-OT within these machinations. Be boring if you wish, stave off ALL magi-magics within your silly little realms- but no picky choosy! None of that! That is far- FAR more offensive."

*Unfortunately, Nach's issues were not complete.* 

"And this- this bat-tery? It too is dreadfully dull... If you fear our dear beloved magi-magi so much, then make it so the magi-magic can't be closed. Better yet, make it so the magi-magic BLEEDS! Let it bleed through reality, let it play- let it play! Ahahahahaaaa! Oh our dear Nachiavellian would so love to play with wild magi-magic, the things it'd do- the things we'd do. Have these wounds be where it's richer, where it's freer! Let it warp the world, untethered, and have these mortals play in all its beauty."

*Then finally, her attention turned to Wyrd.* "And you! Yoouuu! You wish to filter what'd bring delight to us, you wish to bring old problematic problems into new wondrous wonders. Allow for the weakest frailest most pathetic creature to lay waste to your lands, and then the strong will think about what being strong really means. Your idea is dumb, but your tail is most adorable- we'll give it bells, we will!"

*Once Nach was finished voicing her complaints, a broad goofy grin was back on their face, and the pair of glasses she now wore had inexplicably cracked.* "Many ideas have we, many-many... AH! Have it so they must SAY the name of a spell aloud, that'd be funny- oh it'd be just like that one thing with the wands and the pretty dresses."
Josephine
Calena passed out the baneberries to those who wanted some, smiling gently at Soldr and Onesifi, and sat back, silently observing all of her siblings that had joined in the meantime. This discussion among the gods was not quite her area of expertise, as there was little magic in her realm currently. If she made more creatures, perhaps it would be of use to her mortals. But right now, she felt as if she had to be like her mountains, like an avalanche waiting to form. 

*Stillness. Patience. Observe. And when the time is right... Move.*

She knew that her lesser known domain of herbal medicine could be utilized extremely well with this idea of magic, but what would make it special to any worshippers or followers of hers? The ability to add divine healing to a potion? Mixtures have faster reaction times? A single dose is now stronger? Or maybe you only need the herbs themselves to perform the desired magic, without needing to mix and neutralize its natural properties?

Reaching for a cupcake created by Vivienne, she realized this entire process was going to take some time. 

She grabbed an empty bowl next to the cupcakes and scooped as many baneberries as she had in her bag into the bowl. Calena set the bowl of mortally fatal berries next to Vivienne's cupcakes and cookies, open for anyone to grab as they pleased. 

Good thing she had more berries back in the Highlands.