A gentle crackle of energy surges across your consciousness as you feel the
Architect summon you.

A stark cavern of monolithic quartz pillars.
Banks of clouds roil about here. A writhing pillar of icy white energy surges
between the floor and ceiling of the cavern, casting off of a shower of sparks.
You see exits leading southeast and through a pillar of writhing energy.

A lattice of power spreads across your body as you enter a pillar of writhing
energy, filling your vision with a searing white light. As the energy courses
from your body and your vision returns, you find yourself standing elsewhere.

The Fulcrux of Zvoltz.
A wall of static runs along the entire base of the dome, crackling with
contained energy. In the shape of an open palm, a metallic sigil lies here. A
hollow globe of transparent quartz floats above a seven-stepped dais, icy white
bolts of energy arcing within the crystal.
There are no obvious exits.

Energy surges across the dome above as a distorted voice crackles, "Greetings,
Shedrin."

You say, "Greetings, Lord."

Energy surges across the dome above as a distorted voice crackles, "I see you
have laboured diligently and completed the task I set for you in short order."

You say, "Indeed."

You say, "Easy enough endeavour, just takes some dedication."
Energy surges across the dome above as a distorted voice crackles, "Have you
thought on your relationship with Me while you laboured? This is no decision to
be made lightly, as I will bind you with My own essence."

You ponder the situation.

You say, "A thought."

You say, "You are of the Collective, even if in a non-traditional role."

You look about yourself, rubbing your chin thoughtfully.

Energy surges across the dome above as a distorted voice crackles, "Indeed."

You say, "That makes any decision simple."

You nod your head sagely.

You say, "I give myself in service to You in order to Build Your grand Design."

Energy surges across the dome above as a distorted voice crackles, "Then close
your mind to the mortal world, Shedrin, that you may be focused upon Me."



You say, "I think that is all."


Energy surges across the dome above as a distorted voice crackles, "I have
questions to ask of you and stories to tell you, that I may know you and that
you may know Me."

Within a crumbling edifice.
The corrosiveness of the taint sickens the land.
There are no obvious exits.
You are transported by the power of the Divine.

You discern:
You are standing in the Divine Havens.
Your environment conforms to that of tainted ruins.
You are in the Prime Material Plane.

A black robed priest speaks from the shadows, "I hope I am not interupting."

You flicker curious shades of light green, your head tilting slightly.

A black robed priest rubs his hands together, producing the grating sound of scraping metal.

You say, "Query."

You say, "I request a briefing."

A black robed priest speaks from the shadows, "My Master waits upon no man or God, and I ask the questions, child."

You rub your chin thoughtfully, raise your eyebrow and say, "I see..."

You say, "Ask, then."

A black robed priest speaks from the shadows, "The Great Lord Fain wishes to parley with your Master, you are to be the agent of this."

You ponder the situation.

You say, "Very well, shrouded individual."

A black robed priest speaks from the shadows, "What have you and your Master to offer the Great Lord?"

Rubble falls from somewhere nearby, sounding loudly into the tense silence.

You say, "In simple terms, my Lord offers Harmony and Order. Positive psychological reactions arise from such."

A black robed priest speaks from the shadows, "Harmony and Order are just words, child. My Master wants subservience and usefulness."

You say, "Productivity arises from a Orderly society."

You ponder the situation.

A black robed priest speaks from the shadows, "The Great Lord will not mind the rigid grip your Master imposes on His subjects, so long as Zvoltz bows to Him."

The back of your neck begins to prickle as you feel a presence behind you.

You say, "I am of the thought that such subservience would be beneficial for neither party in the long-term."

You say, "A more unified approach to creating Order within the scope of Harmony would have the most positive net benefits."

You say, "I admit, I do not necessarily know your Lords specific goals."

A black robed priest speaks from the shadows, "These terms are not negotiable, maggot. You and your Master will bow to the Great Lord or you will be made to bow."

You say, "Such is not a very politically suave way to engage in diplomacy."

You say, "And I would know, as I am horrible at it."

You nod your head sagely.

A black robed priest speaks from the shadows, "You insolent fool. Your flippant attitude has brought the Great Lord's wrath to you and your worthless Master."

You say, "The Architect's Design is inevitable, and it would benefit you to participate in it."

The Fulcrux of Zvoltz.
A wall of static runs along the entire base of the dome, crackling with contained energy. In the shape of an open palm, a metallic sigil lies here. A hollow globe of transparent quartz floats above a seven-stepped dais, icy white bolts of energy arcing within the crystal.
There are no obvious exits.
You are transported by the power of the Divine.

You let loose a long breath from your lungs, exhaling slowly.

Energy surges across the dome above as a distorted voice crackles, "You are rather rude to run off while I prepare to bestow such a high honour upon you, Shedrin."

You say, "While hoping to avoid war, I think it might be inevitable with certain individuals."

Energy surges across the dome above as a distorted voice crackles, "What is this talk of war?"

You say, "My apologies, Lord. I was caught in a spatial anamoly."

You say, "An entity claiming to represent the Lord Fain accosted myself, attempting to persuade myself to pay obeisance to the Masqued One."

You say, "It was not very succesfful."

Energy surges across the dome above as a distorted voice crackles, "I hope you did not treat His emissary with such a lack of diplomacy that got you into hot water with Elostian."

You say, "I tried not to, Lord."

You say, "Though he did not seem interested in pursuing the potential benefits of Your Design."

You crease your brow in a frown.

You say, "Though such diplomacy is a weak point of mine."

You say, "I tried not to unintentionally offend."

Energy surges across the dome above as a distorted voice crackles, "I hope I will not pay in essence and My children in blood for what you wrought, Shedrin."

You say, "Though at the same time, I could not compromise not on my ideals, especially to such illogical claims."

You say, "Ah, Lord. I think You already pay plenty of essence for what I've wrought."

You say, "Though not with Fain, yet!"

A sudden thrumming fills the air as a vibrating Divine portal opens up directly before you, wavering madly before settling in the air, strange colours and pathways flowing beyond.

You say, "I assume I am to enter?"

A vibrating Divine portal begins to fluctuate, thrumming loudly for a moment before it is suddenly still, and then simply vanishes from existence.

Energy surges across the dome above as a distorted voice crackles, "I would not tear a hole in the aether if I did not intend for you to enter."
6485h, 7314m, 6359e, 10p, 28175en, 32720w esSixkdb-

A sudden thrumming fills the air as a vibrating Divine portal opens up directly before you, wavering madly before settling in the air, strange colours and pathways flowing beyond.

As you enter a wall of static, your vision blurs with streaks of black and white energy. Your skin tingles as the raw power washes over your body before fading away as you find yourself in a new location.
A stark cavern of monolithic quartz pillars.
Banks of clouds roil about here. A writhing pillar of icy white energy surges between the floor and ceiling of the cavern, casting off of a shower of sparks.
You see exits leading southeast and through a pillar of writhing energy.

You say, "But there is always the possibility that Someone else did it."

The Divine voice of Zvoltz, the Architect echoes in your head, "You entered the wrong portal, Shedrin."

A lattice of power spreads across your body as you enter a pillar of writhing energy, filling your vision with a searing white light. As the energy courses from your body and your vision returns, you find yourself standing elsewhere.
The Fulcrux of Zvoltz.
A wall of static runs along the entire base of the dome, crackling with contained energy. In the shape of an open palm, a metallic sigil lies here. A hollow globe of transparent quartz floats above a seven-stepped dais, icy white bolts of energy arcing within the crystal.
There are no obvious exits.

You say, "Bah."

A sudden thrumming fills the air as a vibrating Divine portal opens up directly before you, wavering madly before settling in the air, strange colours and pathways flowing beyond.

As you step into a vibrating Divine portal you are momentarily deafened by the thrumming of the portal, distracting you from the fact that you have just stepped out into nothingness, though this uneasy realisation has barely struck you before your legs are compelled to take another step, and you emerge through an identical portal.
Atop a spire of infinite height.
Filling the air with a low-pitched thrum, a vibrating Divine portal floats here. Zvoltz, the Architect crackles with confined energy, His form flickering and fading along the edges.
You see a single exit leading through a vibrating Divine portal.

You say, "Your wall looks too similar."

You nod your head sagely.

Zvoltz gives you the once-over, eyeing you suspiciously.

You say, "Or too electrifying."

You discern:
You are standing in the Divine Havens.
Your environment conforms to that of concordance.
You are in the Prime Material Plane.

A vibrating Divine portal begins to fluctuate, thrumming loudly for a moment before it is suddenly still, and then simply vanishes from existence.

Zvoltz, the Architect says to you, "Someone is going to remove that flippant tongue one day."

Zvoltz, the Architect says, "You are lucky I am a benevolent god."

You say, "Many Gods claim they are benevolent."

You say, "Hmm."

You say, "That was probably flippant."

Zvoltz rolls His eyes.

Zvoltz, the Architect says, "It was, Shedrin. Very much so."

You say, "Noted."

Zvoltz, the Architect says, "That I have not torn you from the mortal coil yet proves My words are true, however."



You say, "Indeed."

Zvoltz, the Architect says, "Are you willing to pay in blood for your mishandling of Fain's emissary, Shedrin?"

You say, "I am."

You reel in pain as gaping wounds tear open across your body in a spray of ruby blood.

A shimmering curtain of multi-coloured light surrounds you for an instant as your wounds are healed by divine intervention.

The world goes out of focus as your various afflictions are healed.

You take a deep breath and allow your mind to calm, and your crystalline body begins to shift in colour.

Zvoltz, the Architect says, "You live and die by My Design now, Shedrin."

As the Architect reaches out to place a strong hand against your forehead, your vision is overwhelmed with the image of an endless Design of infinity complexity stretching off in all directions.

As your frail mortal mind begins to collapse beneath the immensity of the Design, a surge of gentle, benevolent power infuses you as you feel your power blossom to that of an Avatar of the Architect.

Zvoltz has imbued you with great powers, use them wisely.

You say, "The universal meta-system."

The firmament shimmers into the image of a grand Design of incomprehensible complexity that stretches out into infinity. As the sheer weight of the vision presses down on your mind, the visage of the demigod Shedrin briefly appears in the sky before the image fades.

You kneel and raise your hands and then sink low to the ground before Zvoltz, dealing obeisance.

Zvoltz, the Architect says, "Rise, My Avatar."
6485h, 7314m, 6359e, 10p, 28175en, 32720w esSixkdb-

Isune, the Aesthete has bestowed Her divine truefavour upon you. It will last for 3 months.

You say to Zvoltz, "I shall build Your Design, Lord."

You say to Zvoltz, "I thank You for the trust You have placed in me, and I will endeavour that it shall not be misplaced."

Zvoltz, the Architect says, "I know you shall, Shedrin, else I would not have chosen to imbue you with My very essence."

Joy suddenly washes over you in waves, your entire body glowing a cheerful shade of citrine yellow.

You say, "Positive psychoemotional reactions."

You nod your head sagely.

Zvoltz, the Architect says, "You may open yourself to the mortal world again, Shedrin. I believe the city is waiting impatiently to congratulate you."

You say, "Hmm, potentially."

Zvoltz, the Architect says, "You shall labour greatly for Me soon, Shedrin, but I shall return you to Hallifax to ponder the great honour I have bestowed upon you."

You bow respectfully to Zvoltz.

Zvoltz, the Architect says, "Know, however, that the priest of Fain was merely an illusion, though you may be called upon to let your blood and the blood of the Builders when You fail Me."

You say, "Such is my duty."

You say, "Thank You again."

With a flourish of your arm, you bow deeply.

As you step into a vibrating Divine portal you are momentarily deafened by the thrumming of the portal, distracting you from the fact that you have just stepped out into nothingness, though this uneasy realisation has barely struck you before your legs are compelled to take another step, and you emerge through an identical portal.

Doom.

Cake or Death!

(congrats!)

Congrats! An enjoyable read, I admit I found myself laughing at your flippant remarks.