Gozer the Gozerian

The agents of Uranus had infiltrated the prime material world to prepare the coming of the Elder Sky God. Titans once that had fought the oppression of Uranus now serve has trusted allies; two elder Titans; children of Uranus himself: Themis and Mnemosyne. Both of these daughters of Uranus were once allies to the Olympian powers and one-time lovers of the God of Gods, Zeus. But Zeus eventually spurned both of the Titans and cursed them down to Tartarus to dwell with the other Titans.

Over time Themis and Mnemosyne would find that buried under Mount Othrys was the Elder Sky God. After being defeated by his son Cronus, Uranus would fall into the bowels of hell. Uranus dwelt for such a long time in Tartarus that mountains formed on top of him and eventually the Titans forgot all about him. Mnemsyne, the Titan with the domain over memory guided by Themis, who’s domain is justice. These Titans sought out the Elder Sky God for vengeance upon both the other Titans and the Olympian gods. But it took the whimsical nature of a mortal to help bring about the resurrection of the Master of the Sky.

While Duke Nightmare was considered a mortal by most; the Duke saw himself as a minor godling that if given the opportunity to acquire more bloodpower thru bloodtheft could rise to the state of a bloodmonster. But why such talk of blood dear reader? Well you know the answer of course; the blood of the old gods flowed thru the veins of Duke Nightmare granting him evil and divine power. But it was not these powers that were needed to help give rise to the Elder Sky God. What was most important was Duke Nightmare’s ability to travel thru dimensions and planes of existence.

With the aide of Duke Nightmare, Themis and Mnemosyne where able to move a black stone acropolis to the prime material world. The black acropolis had been mined and constructed by cyclope slaves digging out the body of Uranus from underneath Mount Othrys. Once the black acropolis arrived on the prime material world, Uranus was able to reconstruct himself into the form we are now familiar with. Uranus would appear as a man-like being over a hundred foot tall, all back but covered in dot-like decorations that appeared to be celestial bodies, stars, and other stellar phenomenon.

Since that time Duke Nightmare has given rise to both Captain Holocaust and the Mantaipede. Mnemosyne would be tasked with finding out the history of Gozer, the Gozerian. Themis would be tasked with finding an appropriate way to lure Zeus out for defeat. Uranus would spread his avatars around the cosmos seeking allies and looking to gain power.

To test his, well god-like power, Uranus chose several targets to steel prowess. The odd creature calling itself a god on layer 222 of the Abyss, the Ichor Entity. The undead god that plagues the Shadow Realm, the Cold Rider. And an abnormal creature seeking to destroy the entire material world, Gozer the Gozerian. Each of these targets would test Uranus in different ways and prepare him for the confrontation with Gods and Titans.

So after all that dear reader are you ready to learn about Gozer the Gozerian? I am sure you are. Mnemosyne can find stories about the Gozer dating back to three thousand years. In that time Gozer had spread like a cancer thru the lands of the Hittites, Mesopotamia, and Sumeria. Given enough time Gozer would have spread to the Egypt. The various gods in the regions being over taken by Gozer are weak and unable to directly confront the Gozerian. In classic Gozer style; the Gozerian has unleashed demi-god like creatures that bring promises of power and wealth. But most understand that the Gozerian is going to destroy them one way or another so better to serve instead of being devoured.

If things like satellite photography were available; one could see that Gozer the Gozerian appears to be a pimple on the face of the Earth. A ghastly cancer growing and given enough time might consume the entire world. Mnemosyne learns the awful truth that the Gozerian had done this before too worlds and has proper defenses. So much like the Ichor Entity and the Cold Rider, the Gozerian has the ability to project itself into other creatures possession their bodies and infusing them with power. But unlike the Ichor Entity who helped creatures in a symbiotic relationship, merging itself and the host creature into a new super combination or the Cold Rider who could provide the benefits that unlife can bring; Gozer the Gozerian filled the possessed creatures with such power that they would either burn themselves out or be eventually consumed by the godling. Fore Gozer the Gozerian was a hungry god and ate any and everything.

Entire villages in the Sumeria region would begin to worship Gozer. They would perform strange ceremonies all day and night until the Gozerian would grow like a cancer and move to consume that village. The villagers would welcome the Gozerian and embrace the greasy-fatty lump that was the godling. Gozer would absorb these followers alive with the promise they would be a part of the Gozerian for eternity. And what of those that would not follow the Gozerian? Well the lumpy fatty body of the godling would move across the land: swallowing up all the fertile land, drinking up streams and lakes, and consuming anything that got in its way. There would be an exodus of people from the region.

Given enough time Gozer would spread into Egypt Gozer would come into competition with an old god seeking a new power base. But dear reader Uranus would assault the Gozerian before that conflict would arise so it is better for everyone to keep the mystery foe in Egypt a secret. Maybe in another life we will travel to Egypt dear reader.

So would there be a grand raid against the Gozerian? Calling upon the allied armies of Uranus? The demons, gnolls, dragons, and undead minions of dozen of other powers united under the banner of the Elder Sky God? No, for this battle Uranus is going to have to bring out a DragonBall tactic and defeat Gozer the Gozerian down the last cell of its being. So you might be asking yourself dear reader; why is Uranus not planning on absorbing the Gozerian?

Imagine that the Ichor Entity was pure chaos taken form, but breed in a world of fungus, slime, and ooze the Ichor Entity simply took on the form of what it was around. Quite possibly if the Ichor Entity had taken refuge in the Iron Waste of the Abyss; the Ichor Entity might have taken the form of a living blizzard, an ice dragon, or any number of other possibilities. Imagine that the all-knowing Uranus got into a fight with the Cold Rider knowing that it would take Haelyn’s intervention to win. Now Imagine that Uranus might not want to absorb some awful creature that debases itself by crawling around on the Earth consuming petty mortals. I imagine dear reader, that Uranus as Master of the Sky does not like that the horrific Gozer has grown so large as to be an actual landmark. Gozer is taking up reality in Uranus’ eye sight and that is enough of an offense as any for the Elder Sky God to strike down vengeful wrath.

So what more needs to be said about Gozer the Gozerian? What kind of description of the conflict between Uranus and Gozer is needed? Maybe Uranus made it rain fire for seven days and seven nights turning the area into a vast desert. Maybe Uranus caught a solar flare off the sun and used it as a whip to lance Gozer off of the map. Maybe the oldest of olds simply desired for Gozer to be gone and Gozer was gone. Nah, it was the raining fire. Seven days and nights of hell fire did destroy the Gozerian and purge the taint of the godling from the lands. The cleansing nature of fire in action; raining from the sky.

Next: the enemy of my enemy is my enemy too

Or

Maybe: no rival for my rival’s rival

The Tangle with the Cold Rider or the Second All Saints War

An Avatar of Uranus had been in the Unseelie Court helping the Dark Queen Lussina expand her portfolio. Uranus delighted at the Dark Queen’s Wild Hunt: a group of several hundred Unseelie both live and undead that stalk the mortal world and in particular the Unseelie’s hatred of the immortal elves. Uranus has helped expand Lussina’s goal from simply killing her mother to complete control of the Shadow Realm.

After the defeat of the Ichor Entity; Uranus projects himself to the Shadow Realm. Now dominating the landscape are two huge figures. One the most common sight, the Cold Rider, stands one hundred feet high and looks to be a statue carved of pure ivory or alabaster. The Cold Rider appears to be cloaked in a veil of mist but closer inspection will reveal that the Cold Rider is surrounded by shadow spirits and demons that move over him in a blanket of shrieking souls wailing in lament. The second figure is that of Uranus; standing one hundred feet tall and appearing all black with dot-like decorations that appear to be stars, galaxies, and other stellar phenomenon.

Several other figures would appear on the horizon; the young wizard Ruornil, the noble knights Haelyn and Cuiraecen, and the druid Erik. They would watch the conflicts first blows and witness the strength of the Cold Rider. Uranus struggles under the undead might of the Cold Rider, fore curse of Azari that gave rise to the Shadow Realm gave rise to the power of the Cold Rider. If not for Uranus incredible power, the Cold Rider might be able to defeat the Elder Sky God but it stands in a stalemate. The gods of the mortals watch on.

Now dear reader this is when you say, well something must be done. But whom dear reader could intervene? Could it be that Uranus is struck in such a struggle that he cannot call out for aid? This is when perhaps the greatest aid to our story advancement Sephiroth, the Arch Lich helps move the story along. The Master of the Past and Present, Sephiroth, tries to approach the gods in the Shadow Realm. But that dear reader is when Sephiroth is besieged by perhaps the greatest story line derailed; Seoras of the Crystal Staff interrupts.

A grand wizard’s duel begins between Sephiroth and Seoras. Most of gods do not pay attention; the struggle between Uranus and the Cold Rider compels their attention. But the wizard Ruornil spies the conflict between the wizards and believes correctly that the agent of his daughters is probably more of a bane than a benefit. The god of arcane magic Ruornil interrupts the wizards and demands answers to his questions. While Seoras tries to waste Ruornil’s time; Sephiroth merely pleads that this is best chance to slay the Cold Rider.

Eventually Ruornil would accept Sephiroth’s plea and try to persuade the gods of the mortals to intervene and attack the Cold Rider. Cuiraecen would not budge to aid anyone associated with his enemies in the mortal world. The same goes to the druidic god Erik whom had recently lost control of a major portion of groves on the mortal world. Haelyn stood silently and stoically.

Any chance for intervention seemed lost and Ruornil contemplated unleashing vast magic energies directly at the Cold Rider when a ray of hope began to shine. Appearing on the horizon, the rising sun seemed to shine light into the Shadow Realm. But really it was the coming of Avani, god of the sun. The grand goddess moved close to the conflict between Uranus and the Cold Rider and began to funnel energy into Uranus. With the increase in strength the tides seemed to turn.

The Cold Rider seemed to shudder under the strain of Uranus. The pure alabaster form of the Cold Rider began to crack and some chips fell off. While this might have signaled the end of the Cold Rider it was the beginning of something very worse. The destructive energies between Uranus and the Cold Rider eventually would explode and the ivory body of the Cold Rider would give way. Underneath the white marble exterior the Cold Rider hide the true form of Azari.

In the wake of the explosion Uranus and Avani stood motionless waiting what would come next. The new form of Azari was that of a hundred foot tall demon, of the purest black, brimming with spikes, with leathery wings, and a massive tail. The reborn Azari would hold out two clawed hands and then open them palm ward toward Uranus and Avani. The pair of gods seemed to be caught in some horrible crippling energy beam that was sucking the essence of their very begin from them.

Something had to be done and Haelyn would act. The noble god of war would move to charge Azari, sinking his sword deep into the beast. The reborn Azari would wheel back, with the sword still stuck in the foul demon, and begin a death wail. All the dark energies of Azari began to flow into Haelyn, First it seemed as if the could of evil spirits that once surrounded the Cold Rider begin to be drawn into Haelyn’s mouth. Then the very body of the reborn Azari begins to turn into a black miasma and that too is drawn into Haelyn’s mouth. Then it seems as if the shadows that make up the bleak landscape of the Shadow Realm begin to flow into Haelyn’s mouth as well.

It seems that Haelyn ate up all the evil in the Shadow Realm and has given rise to a rebirth of the Spirit Realm. Gone are the loaming shadows and horrid landscape. Now replacing it is a beautiful world of grass and tress, pure lakes and skies. But Haelyn is changed as well. Maybe the curse of Azari still lingers in the bloodtheft that had just occurred on the cosmic scale. Haelyn’s eyes filled with rage and if it not for the aid of Uranus, Haelyn would have struck down Avani for her bloodpower. And in that very uncharacteristically chival move Uranus inspires something deep within Haelyn and there is no better way to explain it then; in a fit of rage Haelyn teleports away to brood over what has happened.

Uranus will explain to Avani that he was tasked by the mortals of this realm to defeat the Cold Rider and is glad the task is accomplished. Appearing to be the most noble and just of the gods Uranus appeals to Avani to protect this new Spirit Realm as well as the realm of the mortals. But if only Avani would know what evils Uranus had helped sow in both the Spirit Realm and the mortal realms before departing. Uranus makes it appear that he departs after the defeat of the reborn Azari but the Elder Sky God will not let any corner of the universe slip past his grasp.

So what happens next dear reader? What of the agents of Azari on the mortal world like the Gorgon? Well those are excellent questions for another time. But what is next for Uranus is to travel back to his home realm to defeat yet another would be godling.

The Raid on the Ichordeep

The Elder Sky God dispatched an avatar to the insane city of Xhubhullosk located on layer 222 of the Infinite Abyss known as Shedaklah to move the acquired demon Yibyiru closer to the area known as Ichordeep where the Ichor Entity dwells. The old man avatar of Uranus would travel across the ghastly landscape with his demon hostage in tow. Eventually the Avatar would stop and begin to summon his newly acquired allies. And thus dear reader did the evil armies of many realms did combine to take the field under the name of Uranus.

The Grand Sultan of the Effert would send an army under the command of Firebeard Blackaxe consisting of two dozen Efferti lancers riding nightmares and one hundred janni pikemen lead by a dozen Efferti crossbowmen. The Dark God Zaltec sent a company of several hundred jaguarmen; mortals elevated to an immortal status that look more beast then man now. Captain Holocaust, atop his nightmare mount, led a clutch of dracolichs. The New Dragon God would go all out and summon all the Dragon Highlords* for the battle. Yeenoghu sends an army of hundreds of gnolls and demons; such things as goristro siege towers, gnoll marauders, bulezau berserkers, and maybe some giant slaves tossed in for good measure. Yeenoghu also dispatches his vassal Doresain, the King of the Ghouls who brings several hundred simple ghouls and ghasts lead by true ghouls (some with priestly and arcane magic). And thus did the armies of Uranus did begin to clash with the creatures and followers of the Ichor Entity.

Now this is where the action is for everyone save a few. The dracolichs, dragons, efferti lancers, and whatever else take to the air. The gnolls and the demons begin the general land invasion with the jaguarmen and ghouls being used as elite forces. The Avatar would lead a special strike force into the heart of the Ichordeep to slay the Ichor Entity.

What kind of things did the raid fight you might ask dear reader? Things like the Fungus Knights, creatures created by the Ichor Entity. Man like creatures would be grown in cocoon like structures found in the Ichordeep. Eventually they would sprout forth and grow more, eventually growing wings and develop sharp claws, talons, and beaks. There were also the Ichor Guardians; again man like creatures that grow four limbs. The Guardians almost attack like a gorilla, running using all four limbs then pouncing to hold down their victim. The Ichor Guardians have beak like heads that they use to pierce into their victims that are pinned downed. Now dear reader I have describe just two of the creatures the Ichor Entity has spawned to protect itself**.

The Ichor Entity also acquired followers and gave power to other creatures in return for favors, tribute, and service. Of course dear reader any power in the Abyss can attract demons who do not wish to serve in the Blood War and the Ichor Entity has gathered quite a nice collection of demons and augmented their power considerably. A few mortal followers have joined the side of the Ichor Entity. Some were the insane mortals stuck on layer 222 who sought refuge in the Ichordeep and have since come to worship the Ichor Entity as a god. Others might have been draw from other planes to the Ichordeep for the offer of power from the Ichor Entity.

Now dear reader you might be asking what are these other creatures getting from the Ichor Entity. And that is a good question. Some of the demons are given the raw power of the Abyss in the form of items crafted from the very Ichor Entity. Think of swords or magic items that the Entity would project out of itself creating powerful tools that demons or mortals to could use but under the control of the Entity. While others dear reader where infused with the Ichor Entity itself; an almost merging of the Entity with the creature***.

While the crazy battle ensued the Avatar of Uranus and his company would battle their way thru the Ichordeep and search out the heart of the Ichor Entity. Now what happened next would be epic indeed dear reader. And don’t you wish you could have been there yourself? Well let us ask one that did witness the event: a one Captain Holocaust. CH, “well, I am not sure but some how the Old Man gained control of everything and made it all go away.” Thanks Captain Holocaust. Well can we at least find out who else witnessed the event? CH, “yeah, some hot chick showed up.”

The Avatar of Uranus led the demon Yibyiru to the heart of the Ichor Entity. The Avatar chose only Captain Holocaust to act as his guard while escorting the demon. But when the trio found the heart of the Ichor Entity, the Avatar summoned a very attractive young woman who would assist in performing some dark ceremony. It was as if they where channeling the ancient power of Uranus and Yibyiru (who might have been the first ruler of layer 222) to gain control of the entire layer of the Abyss. Now dear reader you might be asking about the other demon powers on layer 222; then dear reader you did not take into count the power of the Elder Sky God.

Nevertheless Uranus needs the now young Baba Yaga’s help to focus his power thru Yibyiru to gain complete control of the layer and thus be able to simply absorb all of the Ichor Entity’s power. And that dear reader is exactly what Uranus does. All the Ichor Entity magic weapons and items, the Fungus Knights and Ichor Guardians, and the infused creatures all become gooey, slimy, and ooze like. These piles of ooze and slime would then begin to move towards the Avatar who would begin to collect the power of the Ichor Entity. As the Avatar began to collect power; his form would change. The Avatar would give way to the rise of the Elder Sky God’s true form; that of a hundred foot tall man-like creature of all black but with dots-like decorations that appear to be stars and galaxies.

And that dear reader is how Uranus would test his power and come to destroy a creature that would dare to be a god. With the infused since of power both physically and spiritually Uranus begins his next move toward reclaiming his birthright. And could you guess what might be next dear reader? How about a battle with the Cold Rider?

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* At the time of this writing there are five Dragon Highlords but with Captain Holocaust leading the dracolichs that comprises the faction of the Red Army. The Black Army would be lead by Dragon Highlord Deth, the Green Army by Rhoube Manslayer, the Blue Army by Stiele Ghieste, and the White Army by the High Cleric Kareem.

** and *** these both remind me of the AI Deus from the Shadowrun game. Both could creature whatever fantastic creature they wanted. The Deus was using things like drones and cyber-creatures with humans being controlled thru datawear. The Ichor Entity was growing his own troopers and infusing himself directly into other creatures. And I am sure dear reader you would have loved to fought both of these creatures in each respected game.

Ten Footsteps Taken At the Same Time

The First stands and rises from a throne not his own, but where he had been ruling a kingdom of monsters for one that had awakened him from eons of sleep. The First moves to the center of the throne room and looks around for the returned duke. But the duke is in a new form, twisted by the dark curse of the gods, the duke is now truly a blood-monster. The First greets the returning duke and has him reclaim his throne. Maybe it was the First or the duke himself; but either way the creature once known as Duke Nightmare is now the Mantaipede; blood-monster, King of the Underground Forest, Dragon High Lord of the Red Army, Prince of the Unseelie, and bane to all that is good. The First solidifies his alliance with the Mantaipede; making sure that the Mantaipede and his armies will be there when the Master of the Sky calls for them.

The Second takes heavy steps thru a murky swamp. The Second could easily walk above the thick terrain or even pass thru it magically, but the Second almost enjoys the awkward and treacherous travel. The Second would finally make his way to a clearing where a lone hut sits surrounded by a perimeter lined with sticks each capped with a skull. The magical protection of the skulls cannot keep the Second out and the old man passes by the skulls and up to the door of the hut. No secret can be kept for long from the Master of the Sky and the Second uses a series of hand gestures, knocking on the door in a particular pattern. The Second would make his way thru the hut, passing many strange and extraordinary sights to find the old woman of the hut. The Second wasted no time in simply parley with the old woman, instead of the normal pleasantries that might go with a negotiation the Second simply granted the old woman’s deepest desire. And this is how it came that the wicked which Baba Yaga was given her youth back and came to server the Master of the Sky.

The Third had been standing on the elegant and elaborate bridge the crossed over a very special lake. The lake drew its water from a spring but this spring was pure energy itself. Fore this lake and spring sit in the Court of the Unseelie, the dark fairies of the Shadow World. The Third had been staying in the Court as guest to the Queen of the Unseelie herself. The Queen had asked for the aid of the Master of the Sky to defeat the Unseelie’s greatest enemy; that of the good-aligned Seelie. The Third had not given the Dark Queen an answer yet and stood gazing at the waters in the lake for sometime. In a place where time is not of great importance, the Queen of the Unseelie grows impatient and summons the Third and demands an answer. And this dear reader would lead to a confrontation on the cosmic scale. The Third asked what some could call a simple question and what others might call a threat. The Queen had to remember who she was dealing with but would not back down. A clash of the titans almost occurred but the Dark Queen remembered who her true enemy was, what her true goal was, and that there would be no easy means to accomplish it. And thus from this confrontation an odd alliance would grow, the Master of the Sky would help the Dark Queen grow in power.

The Fourth would step into an alien and hostile environment. The sky was red in chaos and the ground black as charcoal. Ahead of the Fourth lies a tangled forested, wicked in appearance the trees appear possessed by the wind swaying with almost lifelike horror. In the far landscape one can see a huge castle thru the wicked woods but that is not the destination of the Fourth. The Fourth moves thru the evil forest on a mission so bound in evil that any horrible creature in the foul woods does not dare cross the Fourth’s path. The Fourth makes his way to a magnificent mansion appearing almost out of nowhere in the middle of the wicked woods. The Fourth finds the front door ajar and enters. The Fourth is greeted by a creature of the night and led to a study room. The Fourth declines entrance to the study and insists on seeing the lord of the house. The creature of the night is unprepared for this and calls upon a minor demi-god and an ancient lich to occupy the Fourth. The Fourth wastes no time in telling the evil trio that they serve the evil will of the Master of the Sky and the time draws near for the great confrontations.

The Fifth walks up the hundreds of steps leading to a place called the Palace of Skulls. And when the Fifth reaches the top it becomes obvious why this place has such a name. The Dark God Zaltec had his mansion built from the very skulls of his followers. Millions of skulls comprise the walls, columns, and other architectural features of the Palace of Skulls. The Fifth is greeted as an honored guest and brought into the main audience chamber. There the Fifth spots the master of this land and sees the bounty and merriment of his court. The Fifth humbles himself before the Dark God Zaltec and offers many fine treasures: jewels, jewelry, weapons, and works of art. Zaltec is pleased but is apprehensive as why the Master of the Sky would send an agent to his court after all this time. The Fifth agrees that they were once enemies and probably would have remained so but mortal agents of a young godling and sought out both these ancient gods for further power. The Fifth conjunctures that there would be plenty of room for everyone when he returns to high power and that the affairs of mortals are the least of his concerns. And thus once great rivals from eons past now stand as allies and all the realms of man and god should quiver with that information but it is a dark secret known only by few.

The Sixth stood in an alien and hostile environment. The sky a bleak yellow and the terrain that of a sandy desert for all that could be seen. No one would willingly come to this horrid place out of freewill and that is something the slave drivers with their whips where good at destroying; freewill. Thousands of slaves toiled under the hot sun of this oppressing landscape, pulling a castle on rollers. Slaves were dropping dead by the dozen each hour but demons would magically appear, creating gates to summon in more slaves and removing the dead for whatever horrible purpose. Some of the demons eventually noticed the Sixth and went to investigate. These demons being incredible young and dumb thought they could intimidate the Sixth and bind him into slavery. Those demons did not last long and in a display of power the Sixth caused the destruction with great effect. More demons where dispatch from the crawling castle but instead of engaging the Sixth they approached with offers of entertainment. The Sixth would be brought instead of the crawling castle and shown the wonders of the main hall. There were slave girls from a hundred worlds dancing, food enough to feed an army open to banquet, drink in plenty and strong in vigor. The crawling castle excess in indulgencies is matched in its cruelty to its servants. The Demon Lord to whom this horrible mobile oppression palace calls home is known as the Prince of the Gnolls. The Sixth congratulates the Demon Prince on his many accomplishes and triumphs. The Demon Prince becomes very worried that all his power is about to come to an end but the Sixth informs him that he did not come here to kill him but to offer him alliance. And thus did the Demon Prince of the Gnolls come to serve the Master of the Sky; pledging his armies of demons, gnolls, and ghouls to whatever cause the Master of the Sky saw fit to fight.

The Seventh strolled into the Greek city of Thebes. The Greek Empire is basically at its height, heroes like Hercules are out right wrongs and defeating powerful monsters. The Seven Seas are flush with merchants. The Seventh arrives at what some might call the pinnacle of mortal achievement. The Seventh moved thru the city streets unmolested, just another old man out for a walk. The Seventh would make his way to a temple to the Greek pantheon. And in this temple to the Greek gods; ancient powers could conspire to bring about the end to the Gods Reign. The Seventh greeted his titan agents and found out that their plans where already in motion. These titans that the Master of the Sky has allied himself to have begun to seek their vengeance on the God of Gods by bring some of his powerful children down. The God of Gods is known to have a wavering eye and has bedded many beautiful mortal women. And it is the children of these unions that the titans are working on wrecking. The Seventh learns how his titan agents are moving to bring down the rulers of Thebes; children of the God of Gods. The Seventh is happy with this news and orders the lesser titans to remain in the realm of mortals while the spirit of memory will be sent to the Mantaipede to help his transformation. The spirit of justice is to accompany the Master of the Sky himself while he seeks his vengeance.

The Eighth steps out of a burst of volcanic activity and stands, feet burning, on the flow of lava down the volcanic mountain. The mountain itself is thousands of feet high and the Eight rides the lava down to the base. The lava pools into a vast river that would flow to a sea of lava, a veritable ocean of fire. Fore this dear reader is the harsh landscape that comprises the Elemental Plane of Fire. And in this burnt landscape of fire there sits a plateau of obsidian. Almost an island of rock in a sea of fire. And on this rock gives rise to the City of Brass, home to the eternal effertis. The Eight slowly but surely makes his way to the obsidian stone foundations of the City of Brass and steadily makes his way to one of the giant entrances to the walled town. Each step across the stone ground, the Eighth leaves a smoldering foot print, as if the hot lava of the very Elemental Plane could not melt the rock but the slightest foot step of the Eighth burns the very rock. The Eighth would have been denied entrance but the guards valued their lives more than their duty. The Eighth stoically makes his way to the grandest spire in the city, that of the chief sultan. The Eighth works his way up the spire, past hundreds of guards, viziers, and other palace staff to approach the doors to the grand chamber of the chief sultan. Before the grand doors awaiting the Eighth is a small army of the chief sultan’s personal advisors, mystics, and sages. The Eighth makes the claim that he would blow out all the flames in existence if they would continue to stand in his way. And thus did the Eighth gain admittance to an audience wit the chief sultan of the efferti. But the Eighth did not try to strong-arm the chief sultan; no dear reader the agent of the Master of the Sky charmed the chief sultan to his cause with the promise of even more power when the Master of the Sky reclaimed his throne.

The Ninth would step out onto yet another abyssal landscape but instead of stepping on dirt or rock, the Ninth steps onto a terrain composed of organic mater. This entire layer of the Abyss seems to be alive; an evil mold encompassing the land. But a new ooze or fungus has sprung up, the Ichor Entity, and has grown in power, worshipers, and followers. Maybe the Abyss gave birth to the Ichor Entity, maybe the god-monster was given rise after the many clashes between Zuggtmoy and Juiblex and their attempts at breaching into the mortal world or maybe the Ichor Entity arrived from somewhere else and the conditions where just right in the fetid layer of Shedaklah to give rise to this monster. But whatever the case, the Master of the Sky was going to use the Ichor Entity as a testing ground for his awesome power. The Ninth took almost bouncy steps as he crossed the ghastly landscape of Shedaklah seeking out its one mortal city. Xhubhullosk is a city full of madmen; fore that is what this alien world does to mortal men: drives them insane. So naturally the Church of All has established a worship sight to the “Ever Insane Dragon God.” And it is at this temple holding where the Ninth is headed. The Ninth has kept the demon known as Yibyiru, the Rancid Lady, studying her as the most ancient creature found in Shedaklah. Here the Ninth will take Yibyiru and proceed with her to the Ichordeep and meet with his other allies for the assault on the Ichor Entity. And thus dear reader has the Master of the Sky begun his reascension to the top.

What about the Tenth? Well dear reader maybe our illustrious writer is at a loss for more things to do? But the most important thing is keeping the identity of the Master of the Sky a secret from ancient enemies. And dear reader you might not have put all the pieces together but one of the Avatars of the Elder Sky God did kill an agent of one of his greatest enemies in a pervious blog entry. And that ancient foe would dispatch one of the guardians of his infernal prison to search out the agent that was lost. And that dear reader is how the Tenth Avatar of the Elder Sky God would defeat Gyges, one of the Hekatonkheires. Now while none would find out for a while who killed the legendary Gyges; just the fact that such an ancient and powerful creature could be slain is going to send a ripple of fear up both Mount Olympus and Mount Othrys alike. Soon the Master of the Sky would bring low those who had sought to see him dead once. Soon all would know of the return of the Elder Sky God: Uranus.