System Log
Body trait [Floral Circlet] acquired
Body trait [Emotive Irides] acquired
Body trait [Vertical Pupils] acquired
Mind trait [Meditative] acquired
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Manual entry- September 25th, 337RE - 7/13/337/19:47
I failed to unlock anything again, so far I've at least gotten a side variant of each [Trait] Cloe and Malkyn have wanted me to try for- other than [Introspective] which they guaranteed would take a while… but even after getting to meet [Elder] Willowbark today as a ploy to help me unlock [Friendly], more than they've had to setup for anything before, I still couldn't. They seemed to not think it was a big deal, but Malkyn says it is the first necessary step to prepare me to use his [Cait Sidhe] soul manipulation techniques. Even if they expect it to take a while I can't just meet their expectations, I have to exceed them. We’ll try again soon supposedly, but she is just as Cloe described, a veeeeerrrrrry chatty gramma. So I did at least get an answer, well a fable at least, about one of the most startling discrepancies between Viore and Earth that I noticed a few days after coming home with Cloe.
The sun and moon do not rise, they orbit each other in the sky with each night darkened by an eclipse, but still we have moon phases. I couldn’t make the science of that work, but of course, that's because of magical God hijinks. Apparently, the sun and moon deities shirked their duties in crafting the physical world in favor of…. birthing….. the infinite stars and astronomical bodies that are scattered across the skies. To keep their randiness in check the other 11 gods crafted their respective domains to forever circuit the other, ever in sight, but never in close enough proximity to procreate again. The weirdest part is that since they orbit each other, not the planet, the southern hemisphere simply never receives any light from the sun or the moon. A desolate expanse primarily inhabited by monstrous demons and the dead. She clearly was uncomfortable even mentioning it… There are so many things reminiscent of Earth’s makeup it's got to mean something, right? Even the calendar- unless there is even more magic altering my perception- the [Common] name for our days and even months are mostly the same, except here they have 10 with 35 days each, broken into familiar “Earth” 7-day weeks totaling 350 days a year. How can that be a coincidence?
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Mind trait [Literate] acquired
Through practice and perseverance [Particular] has grown from Tier V to IV
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Manual entry- November 10th, 337RE - 9/10/337/8:47
Yesterday we celebrated my first [Cyclical] holiday, the double ninth festival honoring the last harvest of the year. Cloe decided it was time to teach me a bit more about the world thankfully, and brought me a [Human] book with some more specifics, I haven't been able to learn [Sylvan] so I can only read books in [Common] until I tier up [Linguist] or [Literate]. I won't be able to remember the details on my own so I'm going to copy the gist of the story of the creation war and the 13 Gods who reign over Viore here in case I need to reference it later-
In the beginning, there was naught but Aitmater in Her infinite realm of chaos. She was everything and nothing all the same. Lonely, She wept for eons; eventually, Her tears themselves grew weary of Her grief and Duazi sprung to life, born from a desire to heal and bring Her peace. Overjoyed for Her solitude to have been broken, they very quickly birthed two races of children. The Dahad who took after Aitmater and Her chaos, and the Alef who took after Duazi and His desire for logic and order. For a time these two races and their godly parents tried to live in balance, however the very realm itself was comprised of Aitmater and Her chaos. The Alef tried to instill a sense of order and civilization, arguing that pure chaos cannot rule when there are so many physical beings in the world. The Dahad rebelled claiming their mother’s chaos was the only world worth existing in at all! A war broke out between them, and Duazi left the side of Aitmater to attempt to broker peace between His children. After Her eternity alone, to leave Her for any reason was nigh inexcusable; Aitmater reached down into the battlefields, finding the corpses of slain Dahad and Alef alike, and created monstrous things- the original fiends, monstrosities, and aberrations. Duazi had nearly brokered peace when these new creations of Aitmater attacked and once again war raged. Duazi wept over the fresh corpses of His children, bringing forth the first celestials, fae, and titans.
The Dahad and Alef shared a common enemy and a small group of 12 were able to make a pact. A pact to slay Aitmater and create a world where order and chaos could exist in balance. Aitmater could not be kept from learning of this plot, and the dragons came to be as an army to defend Her against this insurrection of Her children. This was Her fatal mistake, as She gave Her new chromatic creations too much power. Duazi came to Her one last time but He did not plead with Her to stop, for He saw that this was Her nature and so long as She lived She would never be at peace. So He laid with Her once more, and Alhemam was born. Duazi secreted Him away and blessed some of Aitmater’s dragons, washing away their color and polishing them, making them metallic. He gave Alhemam to His 12 allied children to raise, and teach to be able to one day conquer His love. Protected by the metallic dragons Alhemam grew quickly, and soon, they were prepared. The dragons clashed, metallic fending off chromatic, while Alhemam and the 12 finished off Aitmater once and for all. Together they took Her body and Her realm of chaos and built the world and all its planes as we know them. As their magics twisted Her lifeless form and shaped the world, Duazi appeared and without a word, curled up around His mate and slept. The wish for peace that gave Him His life, finally came to pass.
Ramnak
God of Civilization and Father of Humankind
Final son of Aitmater and Duazi, He was born Alhemam, and tasked with the singular purpose of usurping His mother and creating a world of duality; chaos of the Dahad and order of the Alef in equilibrium. After fathering the ancient human race with Enoin He reigned over eons of prosperity as the God of Balance until the gods vanished. Ramnak returned, declaring Himself the God of Civilization and decreed the humanoid descendants of man to be uncivilized heathens, no better than the beasts of the land so many now resemble.
Enoin
Goddess of Pride and Mother of Humanity
The most widely worshipped deity across Viore, Enoin is known as the mother of all humankind and is particularly revered by the humanoid descendants of man. Her beauty is universally renowned, art and statues of Her likeness can be found in cities of all races and cultures.
Sanai
Goddess of the Sun and High Arbiter
No falsehood can withstand the light of Sanai, She is known to some as the Mistress of Truth and Her priests all hold the authority of a judge. Every major town or city will have a temple dedicated to Her as they are in effect the highest court in Viore.
Yem
God of the Moon and Prime Pacifier
The twin brother and consort of Sanai, He is not worshipped singly except by a notoriously pacifist monastic tradition on the Orcish continent. Often depicted at His sister's left hand or following in Her wake, Yem is considered the most even-tempered of all the gods.
Le'Xali
God(dess) of Vitality and Sovereign of Paradise
Often worshipped as the God or Goddess of love and lust, Le'Xali is known to take whatever form pleases them most and isn't constrained by the duality of gender. Her [Valkyrie] ferry the souls of the worthy into Paradise to spend eternity in blissful salvation.
Siassa
Goddess of Wisdom and Cardinal Physic
Matron deity to scribes and doctors, Siassa is best worshipped in the hushed tones of a library or lecture hall and has few dedicated churches. Her disciples can be found scattered across the land, helping to bring knowledge to every corner of Viore.
Mnemet
God of Cycles and Commandant of Time
Honored primarily during the annual festivals to mark the change of the seasons, Mnemet is the patron of farmers and those who tend to the land. Despite having a scant number of churches and even fewer acolytes he is revered across Viore, His power evident to all who follow the wheel of the year.
Mbeiras
Goddess of Humility and Marauder of Hope
His disciples consider despair to be a divine gift, bestowed upon those for whom hope is like an ever-bleeding wound; ending their misery quickly instead of shackled to the dream of a better tomorrow that may never come. When the world was young and the race of man still in its infancy, Mbeiras bore 3 children- Luck, Fate, and Misfortune- so that one day mankind might understand the blessing of being freed from hope.
Janqai
God of Follies and Principal Harlequin
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Patron deity of artists and fiscal patron of the arts, Janqai has spent more time on the Chidi than all the Alef and Dahad combined- with countless offspring of men, women, and beasts to show for it! Devotees honor Them not at a holy mass, but in the creation of joy in the world, whether through song, stage, or glorious pranks.
Inkara
Goddess of War and Divine Despot
Known as the Siren of Slaughter, during the creation war and era of ancient man alike She waltzed onto the battlefield wantonly razing any- whether friend or foe- who dared cross her path; throughout Viore the art of warfare is considered the "dance of Inkara". So feared was She that some chaos occultists continue to worship Her as the prophecied one, destined to bring about the end of the world and the reign of chaos once again as the Consort of Ruin.
Y'Fnevra
Goddess of Death and Queen of Purgatory
Many worship Y'Fnevra not out of reverence but out of fear or desperation, as Her Purgatory is the repository of all souls who are not yet summoned unto Paradise. Among the temples of ancient man, only Hers remain wholly intact, most connected to a graveyard or catacomb and appear abandoned by the living; Her acolytes who inter the dead are rarely seen by even those who mistakenly come to plead for their own life or the soul of their loved ones to be spared.
Fjorucch
God of Instinct and Lord of Beasts
Worshipped heavily by [Animalkin] and [Dragonborn] sorcerors, Fjorucch is thought by some arcane scholars to be the chaos from which all mana in Viore flows. Diversely depicted across the races, many integrated churches portray Him as formless mist or smoke; it is said that any who lay eyes on Him may only leave with one - their sanity or their life.
Ombuun
God of Weather and Master Smith
Lightning flashes and thunder booms, for His hammer strikes true; gusts of wind streak across the land while His bellows howl and stoke the forge; clouds of steam cover the sky as He plunges the molten ore of his newest creation into the sea. Worshipped by sailors and blacksmiths Ombuun does not have many churches, His followers choosing to honor him instead through tireless dedication to their craft.
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Soul trait [Shy] denied
Soul trait [Friendly] acquired
Body trait [Breather] acquired
Soul trait [Cyclical] acquired
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Manual entry- January 7th, 338RE - 1/7/337/23:27
Their new year's celebration lasts an entire week, but today I unlocked [Cyclical] even though Cloe and Malkyn told me it would take a full year of honoring their festivals. Maybe they aren't just overcompensating trying to connect to me since they adopted me. Maybe they are being genuine when they act impressed every time I pick up a [Trait]. It seems like maybe the system makes it easier for me, but I won't know till I can figure out how to get [Instropective]. They keep telling me it just comes with knowledge and experiences that can only come over time, so I should just keep meditating and it'll happen. If I want to be able to inspect my system, not my [Meditative] mindscape, I might have to experiment and figure it out on my own. Malkyn is going to work with me on some Qi training this month, but every time I ask about Mana Cloe tells me about a different [Trait] she wants me to work on first…
I’m growing incredibly quickly as well, already I'd mistake myself for a toddler if I didn't know better. I should reach [Adolescent] sometime close to my first birthday if I closely mirror an [Eladrin], but it'll likely be a bit later for me since a [Human] usually takes till around 10yrs old. It’s insane to me that most fae are fully-fledged members of society by that age. Getting a [Specialty] seems to matter more than their developmental phase [Trait] but even so becoming an [Adult] happens way younger than on Earth. I wonder if that’s a “magic” thing or a “medieval” thing.
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Qi trait [Origin Gate] acquired
Soul trait [Quiet] denied
Mind trait [Worrier] denied
Mind trait [Introspective] acquired
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Manual entry- Mayrch 22nd, 338RE - 1/7/337/23:27
Finally, I can get more specifics. I'm listing all my trait descriptions here so I can reference them as they tier up and note the changes, if there are any.
Juvenile V
Your physiology is developing.
Floral Circlet V
You have seasonal foliage.
Emotive Irides V
Your iris’ color shifts with your emotional state.
Vertical Pupils V
You have slightly enhanced depth perception and photosensitivity.
Common Language*
Blessing of Alhemam. You are fluent in the language common to all mankind.
Linguist V
You hear unknown languages in your highest tiered language [Trait].
Resolute IV
You are resolved to follow your convictions in the face of opposition.
Particular IV
You can adjust the visual representation of a compatible [Trait] to your preference.
Intuitive V
You come to instinctive conclusions.
Meditative V
You can enter a mental state that heightens clarity and focus while limiting sensory input.
Literate V
You can read.
Introspective V
You are able to glean some information from a compatible [Trait].
Adaptable*
Blessing of Я̸̹̪͗̍ɘ̶͇͇̒̀ƨ̷͓̩̄̓Ɉ̵̬̣̊̅ɿ̸̣̙̍̚ī̷͎̌͜ɔ̵̭̘̋͒Ɉ̶̖̩̋͠ɘ̶̟̿̂͜ḅ̷̪̎̈ You have access to a system that will take form suited to your mortal soul's original world. Significantly lowers requirements for unlocking [Trait] acquisition and allows for refusal of acquired traits, but not granted ones.
Apellation*
Blessing of Mnemet- “Maximum Million”. Your maximum attribute potential is increased by 1,000,000.
Crybaby IV
You are quick to cry in private and with intimate company.
Inquisitive IV
You question the world around you.
Mana Signature- Hereditary*
You are able to attune your mana to the Laurelfete family signature.
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Body trait [Clumsy] denied
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Manual entry- September 5th, 338RE - 7/5/337/23:27
This body is officially a year old. And what do I have to show for it? In one week I'll have spent a year in this world and I'm still getting blindsided by my misconceptions. I should have never accepted [Literate], it's just a waste of a slot. Everything I accept is permanent unless I can evolve or combine it into something better. I can't just replace a less desirable [Trait] once I'm full like in a game; not only that but eventually I'll hit some hidden threshold and once I've unlocked my first [Major Trait] there's a 50/50 shot I'll immediately steamroll into getting the next four all at once. If that happens, even if I don't have my filled out and optimized build, I'll be assigned my [Specialty] based on whatever nonsense I've got at the time.
If I willy nilly accept anything and everything I unlock, that gives up my biggest advantage. So I’ll decline everything that isn't conducive to my plans to get a magical [Specialty] and to hedge my bets and try to get what I want. Even if Cloe says I don't have much chance of having high magical aptitude. Happy birthday to me, hooray I have almost no mana. Maybe I don't have any right to be peeved when I chose not to engage much but I feel like it shouldn't take a year to teach your kid how the world works.
Apparently there are more than 5 attributes, everyone just has 5 tied to their [Trait] system. I didn't get any of the ones that govern mana capacity, so while I can train and slowly increase what little mana I was born with, it'll pale in comparison to the growth I can achieve in areas I actually have the respective attribute. [Finesse] gives me some small degree of mana control, so I can at least focus on getting really deft with the minimal mana I have. Similarly yet oppositely, [Anima] gives me the largest benefit to my qi pool and regen rate, but I don't have anything that aids in training qi control. Neither Cloe or Malkyn seemed hopeful about my prospects to be powerful with either qi or mana, but they are the only things I haven't tried. The only options I didn't have available back on Earth. Besides, I want to make them work for me and with the [Adaptable] system I think I might just be able to rig the chances in my favor.
I’ll be attending the [Eladrin] training program at the start of the New Year, and it's especially designed to train attributes and [Trait] tiers. Cloe made me promise never to use it's [Common] name out loud, something about the translation out of [Sylvan] being offensive, but I can't help but find it ironic that soon, I'll be starting kindergarten.
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Through practice and perseverance [Crybaby] has grown from Tier IV to III
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Manual entry- December 35th, 338RE - 10/35/337/23:27
Dear Father and Mother,
I'm not sure when or even if I'll ever be able to send this letter, but I'd never forgive myself if the opportunity arose and I wasn't prepared. I can't be sure if knowing I'm living a new life with a new family will help or if it'll hurt. Honestly I'm not even sure which reaction I'd hope you have…
I doubt my absence caused you much distress, but if there was any confusion I hope hearing from me can clear some of it up. I don't have all the answers yet- hopefully I can update this before I figure out how to send it- but I was reborn into an entirely different world, where magic and . If I died, I hope you're relieved I am alive and well, and… also someone else's problem. If I vanished- well, I'm sorry if departure caused you any bigger problems than my presence always did.
I'm sorry I never achieved the greatness you expected from me. I won't be sorry that I don't miss either of you. My life didn't have to be miserable just because I wasn't living up to standards you set so high that no one- not even the second prodigy you claimed I had no genetic right not to be- could’ve satisfied you. I was never gonna be my sister. I never wanted to play sports. I never wanted to compete with my peers. I never wanted to suffer under So. Much. Pressure. You weren't creating a diamond, you just overloaded a faulty pressure cooker, filled to the brim with guilt stew. This second chance, I'll become great at something I actually want to do, and I'll do it without your “encouragement”.
There's so many appealing options I have available to pursue- I haven't even decided how yet- but I'm gonna prove you wrong. I won't always be worthless.
Your ex-son
Maximilian
Maxym Laurelfete