OOC: ABRAXAS MEETING, YO! All active Abraxas are required to post at least one time in this meeting. After that, please tune in frequently to catch news and plottage, but there will be no round-by-round requirement to keep things from getting too crazy. Feel free to post at any time with suggestions or questions, of course. This meeting is being held to introduce the four pups as yearlings and offer them up for training to the whole group, and to decide where they will strike first to begin their Empire. Check-in posts due by the 20th!

Winter had settled in the northern lands, returning from its slumber to hold firm the world. In the south, the rains had at last abated, perhaps heralding the overdue dry season. Amon could not be certain whether or not the weather would hold, but for the time being he would take it as a good omen of changing times. He had spent much of the past several moons plotting and planning for just such a moment. Now that it had finally arrived, the man felt himself filled with joyous, buoyant purpose. It was just such a feeling that carried him to the Bifrost, the same land bridge where he had first called his family together upon reaching these lands. It seems right that he should return to the same place to recount the year that had passed. He also hoped that his call would carry far, to both the northern and southern realms, reaching as many Abraxas wolves as could possibly hear it. Evening was fading into dusk as he tipped his head back and let out a booming howl, one which rang out across land and sea alike. Amon settled in to wait, feeling as if his body were on fire. The gargantuan man cut a stunning figure against the ever darkening sky, twin eyes burning with both focus and exhilaration. Too long, he thought. Too long since he had been able to rain hell down upon the fields of weakness before him, too long since he had fought in the Fallen God's name. The time for their conquest was now. At last, it had begun. "Talk" "You" Think

Chasing Twisters In The Canyon

Pyralis had taken to spending her time relaxing since her journey with her brother. She knew that any day he would call them together and she wanted to be good and ready, she'd also spent time with her children, preparing them for their presentation to the family. They were yearlings now, practically adults, and they would begin to share in the families mission. Evening had fallen in a hush over the canyon except for the buzzing insects which faded into a monotonous hum in the back of her brain. A hum that was finally pierced with her brothers call. It was time. She got to her feet and with a short bark called for her children.

She still had not decided who to present as a potential target though she had been mulling over the options. It was a very difficult decision and one that could present many different outcomes. However, success or failure, it would focus their kin. They'd been milling about to long, so long that even she, the wanderer of their kin, felt the need to gather the family together and begin the process of establishing a base.

Pyralis moved across the ground like a ghost, the colors of her coat seeming to blend in perfectly with night in the canyon. She would miss this place. When she at last wandered into her brother's presence she greeted him with a grin, her golden eyes shining bright in the moonlight. "At last, it begins."

My Cathedral Is The Badlands

Training consumed Ashiel's evenings. He darted forward at the carcass his mother had strung out for him, practicing his lunges for when he would eventually train with his uncle Amon. The thought of training with the head of the family was exciting and nerve-wracking and he knew he didn't want to let his mother down. He had to be ready! Speaking of ready… a howl echoed through the canyon and his mother got to her paws. The meeting! Ashiel's heart pounded in his chest. They were officially going to be marked as yearlings. Ashiel swiftly followed his mother as dusk fell over the canyon. Fireflies began to glow and flit about them and he felt the pull to chase after them, to pounce and to play but that was hardly appropriate was it? He was going to be an adult after tonight. Chasing fireflies was something for children. When he arrived at the meeting place he gave his uncle a nod of respect before moving to sit with his mother. "Talk" "You" Think

It was time. Eagerly Malleus made his way to the Bifrost. Luckily he hadn't been far, so in no time at all the demigod was trudging through the crystal sands with his gaze fixed firmly on the dark figures ahead. Even from a distance his father cut an impressive figure. Sitting tall and proud, his dark silhouette was unmistakable even against a darkening sky.

When he arrived at the gathering Malleus sat down heavily a few feet away from his father. His gaze was sharp and eager as it flicked from Amon to Pyralis and lastly to Ashiel before darting to the horizon. He grinned into the sinking sun, his expression devilish. Today marked the beginning of a new era. The hour of the Abraxas was upon them.

Under his excitement ran a current of anxiety. The pressure to be perfect was beginning to build even now. He couldn't - wouldn't - disappoint his father. Not in the coming war and not in the days after when things were quiet and Amon could turn his attention to the success (or lack thereof) of his children. At this point Malleus had nothing to show for his efforts and he, at least, was keenly aware of his shortcomings. How old had his father been when he'd begun to make a name for himself? When he'd sired his first litter?

It was not the time for personal gain, he reminded himself. Right now he could best serve the family by being here on this beach with them, to lend his support for the coming war.

Apollo had yet to wander as far as many of his siblings. Though logically he would need to learn the lay of the land, he simply did not have the wanderlust of many of his siblings and had spent more of his time reaquainting himself with his family than he had exploring. So when Amon had set off with a purpose he had been there to see, and to follow as he moved northward. The phantom had not yet come to these lands when Amon had first called the family to this spot, so he did not recognize either the land or the meaningfulness of the location, but as he joined Amon and Pyralis and his nephews, he could tell that they were each electrified with an expectant energy. Apollo, cold as he was to his core, was not so struck by that mania though he recognized it's source and found himself unconsciously raising his muzzle as though tracking a scent on the breeze. Yes, it was time, wasn't it? Time to prove out the legacy of a fallen God. The march to war, to claw their way back to godhood.

Eyes like polished gold nestled in gray silk rested on his litter mate, the leader he had given every ounce of his fanatical loyalty to, who he had left their mad father to follow. The appearance he projected was as calm and militarily correct as he always was, his bearing straight and distant as he seated himself among them. Pelt falling perfectly, tail and ears and paws just so. But the way his full attention was fixed so obsessively, so intently upon his brother betrayed to those who knew him that cool as he was he was not unaffected by the excitement that sang through them like a live wire. The Abraxas were gathering.

ooc: bawwww sorry for the shit reply.

His father had spoken to him at great length of his plans. Oh yes, Gaios was well versed in the ins and outs of more strategies than he could count. At first he had been fascinated and intrigued, gladly playing into Amon's extensive rounds of 'What If?' Of course, after weeks and weeks one did grow tired of it. Needless to say, Gaios was glad for the season to change, the marker that he seen his first year through. Gaios had assumed nearly all of his adult height, if not the bulk which ought to wrap around it. Still, he was a stocky lad, and proud of the progress he had made since his more extreme youth. When Amon's call rang out, Gaios was not far. He had been trailing his father's journey north, having an inkling of what was to come. Even so, he saw that several of his family members had preceded his arrival, and he gave them each a brief nod and thin smile. His mismatched eyes fell at last on his father and there they stayed, even as he sat at Malleus' side, waiting to see who else might appear. From the corner of his eye he watched Ashiel. Truth be told, Gaios was a bit nervous that so many wolves were gathering partially for them. Gaios knew he would probably have to speak in front of all of them, and it was not necessarily a prospect he relished. The boy was much more comfortable observing that presenting, but as his father told him so many times, comfortable wolves did not grow. "Talk" "You" Think

At the sound of their uncle's call, Asharya and her brother had struck out for the meeting place. Asharya moved as quickly as her long, lanky body was able to. She coursed with excitement. Finally, the day had come for them to be recognized as yearlings. Pyralis had told them both what would be expected of them, and Asharya was more than ready! Or she hoped she was, anyways. There was only one way to prove it, after all, and Asha intended on making the most of it. Upon her arrival, the astral fae saw that many of her family members were there already. She cut a hard path towards Ashiel and sat there at her brothers side, sending a wide smile towards their mother as she did so. Asha was never one to hide her feelings, and it was obvious that the young girl was absolutely quivering with excitement. To her it seemed as though she would be quintessentially different after today, as if it marked a piece of time so wide and grand that she would be physically altered by its passing. It wasn't the case, of course, but that did not stop the young girl from dreaming. She sat in silence, waiting for her uncle to begin speaking. "Talk" "You" Think

ART BY HAGON <3

The woman had remained close by since her run in with Amon and finally locating the whereabouts of her family. She hurried to the call, paws sending sand spraying in every which way as she made her way to the bridge that connected the lands. She had not yet gotten the chance to explore Auster, mostly having searched in the lands of Boreas. It was no wonder she couldn't find them, they'd all been on this side of the fence...

Catching sight of those already gathered, she slowed her pace so as not to get sand on the others. She'd dive into the group, the woman looking at each member of her gathered family and nodding to each one before she took a seat near the center of the group. She wondered just how many of them had managed to regroup... so far, it looked like most of them, but she knew there were more.

He skulked off his island, ignorant and overall apathetic to the importance of the call. Andras didn’t recognize Amon as an authority, or the rest of his family for that matter. He had made it this far on his own and had it not been for the protection offered by being surrounded by so many members of his family he would have stayed in the Kingdom of Bromos, slaughtering his way through whatever forces the pitiful Everiath family sent his way. He entered the ring with a wide yawn, regarding the spawn his siblings had made with indifference. His younger brother and his litter mate seemed quite proud of themselves for their accomplishment in fucking some terrans that had no doubt appeared interesting at the time. Their progeny certainly had elaborate markings and vibrant coats, but appearance ultimately meant little to him. Pyralis was certainly strong there was no doubting that, but her children were ultimately unimpressive. He laid on the ground with a soft thump, crossing one paw over the other and waited for this business to be over and done with so he could return to tormenting the terran he had caught snooping too close to the spider cove. "Talk" Thought You

It took Seth a bit of time to follow his longer-legged kin to his uncle's call, but eventually the dwarf managed to hop his way to the sandy landbridge to join them. It seemed no one but his uncle's littermates and his young cousins - and Malleus, of course - had managed to answer Amon's summons so far. And one other, who was a stranger to Seth. He subtly side-eyed the bored-looking male and made certain he was on the opposite side of the group. Experience told him that bored Abraxas were dangerous, or dangerous for him at least. He couldn't imagine his uncle or really any of the older generation being particularly upset if someone were to torment him for fun, or even were they to kill him. Accidentally or otherwise. Therefore, it was better to simply avoid the possibility.

He tucked his deformed limbs beneath him and fixed an attentive look on his face, keeping his regard entirely on Amon. Surely no one could take offense to him keeping his attention on the patriarch rather than greeting anyone. It was safer than risking giving someone an excuse to make trouble for something he said or hell, the order he might have greeted anyone in. While the ones he knew best would just take the opportunity to poke fun at him or razz him, there were too many about that he didn't know, and who knew which of them took after his absent and rumored-to-be-mad grandfather?

She walked with purpose, though not in a terribly hurried way. Swift but unrushed, Razi figured she would arrive in due time. It wasn't as though she was one who would be caught dead concerning herself over being there first, though she did hope to avoid tardiness. Stepping lightly, Razi entered the scene as one of the few to arrive from the Boreas side of the bridge. Settling down in her own space a comfortable distance from her kin, Razi awaited the beginning of this meeting. Things were finally getting good, and the rate at which new developments were taking place was thrilling. It wouldn't be long now before they'd all hardly be able to catch their breath before the next turn of events took place. That thought alone sustained her through the beginning lull as she awaited Amons words with the rest. SPEAK

Well that was a call she wasn't expecting. She'd been on her way to Boreas to find something to entertain her when Amon's call caught her attention. Of course she'd expected the call to come eventually, but today of all days was rather interesting to say the least. She supposed it was rather lucky that Amon seemed to have perfect timing. If she'd been given time to get far north into Boreas then she might not have heard his call. Her family seemed to have quite a lot of these little meetings and she wasn't keen on missing them. What if something entertaining were going to happen? She wasn't going to miss out on all the fun - especially since there wasn't anything else going on in her life. She headed towards the land bridge and she could appreciate the irony of it all. This was where Amon had called them all together to begin with. Now what on earth did he have planned? She tried not to dwell on it too much, lest she be disappointed, but already she could feel a buzz of anticipation racing through her veins. She glanced around to see who all had arrived so far and wasn't surprised to see that Adra hadn't arrived. So he'd even ignore the call of the patriarch? Her nose wrinkled at the thought. Maybe he just wasn't on the continent at all? Her gaze didn't linger and instead flitted around some more to see some new faces that hadn't been there the last time she'd seen her family. Good, more of them were gathering. Finally her gaze rested on a bored looking wolf and she barely managed to blink back her surprise. She padded over to him and sat down not too far away with a smirk on her face. So her littermate had finally managed to show up. "Oh do try to look less bored, brother. I'm sure, once Amon starts speaking, it'll be good whatever it is." Walk, "Talk" Think

I'M KNOWN TO PUNCH 'EM IN THE DICK AT THE END OF A FIGHT

There was a call, a summon that was to be answered with haste. To ignore the deep croon of Amon's voice would be a death sentence, or exile. Heaving to their feet, the godling thumped their way along towards the north. It was strange to hear his voice come from anywhere other than the canyon, as of late. After all, the little runts were grown up now- no need to lurk in the nursery. Nearly shivering with excitement, the dust toned deity ate up the ground beneath their paws. It was time to bring this mortal land to its knees, its occupants begging for salvation through the Fallen One.

Kaine was not as late as they had been to the last meeting, but they definitely could have taken more initiative. The lackadaisical pace had cost them, no doubt. Amon would be miffed if they had taken any longer. "Are we ready to taste the blood of mortals, brethren?" They rumbled gleefully, glancing about. Everyone was here, including the children. Fallen One above, they were so big now. Where had the time gone? Perhaps it was time to bring their own genes into the mix, and add to the ranks. The little pixie would make fine children, if a bit small.

Rump landed heavily on the sand, shoulders hunched against the heat of the sun. It was time, and they were ready.

"speech"


AND I NEVER SAY I'M SORRY AT THE END OF THE NIGHT

Amon called and she was hasty to answer. She padded forward, her pelt neatly groomed. She had news for amon but would wait. She had found her spirit and was intent on breeding with him to gain her own children. She moved in and sat in the shadows. Her eyes fell on Amon first then darkly on her elder cousin, the one female said to look like the moon's seductress. That must be Anamelach, the one that had brought mortal scum into their folds. Surprising she still found herself alive. Amon must be softer than she would have been. Their name was strength and was holy, to allow a mortal to come in and take up their name was insult upon the fallen god.

She cast her eyes back onto the form of Amon. It was time to wage war on the filthy mongrels of this land, if he did not lead it she would be forced to publicly challenge him for his position inside the family. She kept her face impassive though to keep everyone from knowing how dark she truely was. She would enjoy ripping some mortal apart. Perhaps she would allow one to live, after she took its tongue and eyes, as her servant. Though that would be the highest any mortal could hope for with the goddess in charge.

OOC: WOO! Round 1 complete. From now on, there is no round requirement. If your character does not have anything to say, don't bother! I only ask that everyone stay tuned and aware of events, because they'll start happening here before long. Also, in an OOCly sense, if any alphas from other packs would like to plot something specific between their pack and the Abraxas I would love to hear about it! Posts due by Nov. 24th!

Amon watched as one by one, his family members trickled in. Those he'd seen regularly, his sister and her children, a few of his other siblings, were quick to arrive. He gave them each small, respectful nods. His mind was too engaged with what was to come to offer petty chit chat. And then, as he had hoped would happen, those less available in the past moons began to arrive as well. A feeling close to relief welled up in the titanic man, knowing that his kin were still invested in their cause. He sent a quick, silent prayer of thanks to the Fallen God. He waited for a deal of time, wanting to ensure everyone who intended to be there had arrived. He would broker no future excuses for their lack of attendance, so Amon thought it only fair they have a fighting chance of attending. His young cousin arrived last, and he decided that was as late as he would accept. It was time to begin. "I know this meeting does not come as a surprise to many of you," he began, scanning the crowd. "A year ago we sat on this very beach, and I told many of you of my intent. This land is overflowing with magical energy, with spiritual presence. If any of you doubt that this is the ancestral homeland promised to us, well," Amon paused, allowing a dry chuckle through his lips. "I can only assume you have not been here long, or have not been paying attention." "It is ours. We need only claim it as such, and I have every intention to do just this. Of course, what one claims for themselves they claim for all Abraxas. I would not want to act without knowing what each of you wish for, as well. The mortals who oppose us are weak creatures, and in our number we should have no difficulty curbing them to our will, but a divided front will only weaken us." Again, he scanned the cluster of kin surrounding him. Infamous for their independent streaks, Amon knew it would likely be impossible for his family to agree on any one thing, but perhaps they would concede one definite place to begin. "I ask you, then," Amon began again, "Where do we begin? I think it wisest to conquer one of the mortal packs, if only to announce our presence and intent to the land. After it is secured, we will continue to fell packs one by one, installing an Abraxas wolf to lead them instead. Mind you, the mortals who call them home are valuable resources. Ill-bred as they may be, they can still hunt, fight and heal. We will need them to ensure the lands we claim are healthy and well-defended. I plan to offer any pack we cross the chance to join, or die. Maybe one day in the future this land will be populated with gods and spirits and none other, but that day is not coming any time soon. We will have to make due until then." He paused one final time, letting the weight of his words settle over them. It was an enormous task that he proposed, but one he felt they were well equipped to handle. In fact, in Amon's eye, it was their destiny. What other purpose did Abraxas serve on this planet if not to rule. "If you intend to lead one of our conquered Kingdoms, I expect you to put forth the effort necessary to capture it. If any of our number prove to be ineffective leaders, they will be replaced without question. Now, where do we strike first?" He would open the meeting to questions then, ready to absorb their feelings and intents. Amon did not personally feel strongly towards any one course of action. Striking out at Talis would be convenient and the entirety of the continent would belong to no others but them, which had its appeal. Of course, the borders of Talis seemed well defended, if the scent of them was any judge. Striking north, beginning with a weaker pack would be a sure course of action but the territory was less familiar to them. No, Amon was more than willing to lean on the opinions of his family members to make such an important decision. He was only relieved that the time had finally come. "Talk" "You" Think

Chasing Twisters In The Canyon

Members of her family trickled in one after another until there was a substantial gathering.  Well, a reasonably substantial one.  She couldn't help but notice that there were still several of Amon's children missing but they were bound to turn up sooner or later.  When everyone was settled the meeting began and a question was posed.  Where to start?  Pyralis shrugged. "To be perfectly honest brother I haven't done much scouting of mortal packs.  I have been visiting Talis though, they are the only mortal pack in Auster.  They have the benefit of proximity and I handily bested their alpha in a spar not long ago.  I doubt the pack will be much trouble.  However, I do have an agreement to explore the territories their pack inhabits. I should hate to disturb that but then I'm not against breaking it either."  Though if the Abraxas simply conquered Talis she'd still get her wish so it really was a moot point and if Dragon was dumb enough to rescind his promise she'd happily lead the whole family on the war path to Talis... or conquer it herself.

"I've done some exploring of northern Boreas but not enough to know the lay of the mortal dwellings.  Not that I particularly care to march all the way to the north during winter in Boreas.  My suggestion is to pick a section of land and to see what packs are there unless someone has a more concrete suggestion?"

A rush of wind and the ruffle of feathers marked the arrival of her companion Alkali. "If I may, my lords, there is a pack in the southern lands.  As far as I know it is the only one, it's reasonably close compared to others and seems quite small… quite vulnerable."  Pyralis cocked her head to Alkali and nodded before turning back to Amon.  These were their thoughts.  Ultimately she felt they needed a bit more information before selecting a target though at the same time really any pack would do.  They were gods after all, how could they possibly lose?

My Cathedral Is The Badlands

ooc:  go ahead and skip Ashiel

She listened to Amon intently. He spoke of conquest and she grinned at the prospect. Though she had to wonder if they should not just go to a battlefield and challenge directly for these scrawny mortals packs. Sure bloodshed would be fun but if they took one they could establish a strong foothold. She eyed pyralis as she spoke. So this talis had made a deal with the goddess. "Amon, while i mean no disrespect here, I should voice my own opinion. While war sounds fun to me, to strike a pack in such ways might cause a ripple to be set against us. We know not how many fighters they have nor their own strength against ours. Nor if they have made deals with spirits for power. Perhaps a more subtle approach should be made. Send one of our own to join and infiltrate. To learn their ways and of their alliances and enemies. Or perhaps we send you to challenge this alpha directly for his rank and Talis. Build our empire in such a way that none can contest your strengths." The brilliance in such a plan might be flawless. The mortals may stand beside an alpha that could best even their own so they might gain even their support in doing so. She was a strategist through and through. Talis would easily fall this way with perhaps only one death of mortals then. And with an honorable capture others might see fit to join them as slaves.

“Sisteeer!” He greeted in a voice that was just as much a purr as it was a snarl. “I’ve heard the most awful things about you.” He tittered, flicking his tail heedlessly like a cat just as Amon began to speak. “Later.” He commanded with an unsettling grin, it was time he found out just what he’d gotten himself into, and more importantly what his sister had been thinking. He was far too new to the entire situation to weigh in on his younger brother’s war council but his sister’s presence had lightened his mood considerably. He understood this was not the time or place to catch up with his littermate but he flicked his tail over hers in an act of uncharacteristic affection that may or may not have been a nested claim to her as his property. "Talk" Thought

Amon's words really couldn't have come as a surprise to anyone who had been around and paying attention. They certainly didn't come as a surprise to Seth, who had made it a point to stay informed about Amon's plans purely out of self-interest - not difficult when Amon had literally been telling them this for some time. Some of the family's reactions, however, did, and Seth could not help but blink sidelong at the... cousin, was it? Who had spoken up to suggest someone infiltrate a pack and work from the inside. Why, it was almost a plan after his own heart. Surprising, because the Abraxas in general tended to play it a bit more straight and obvious than that when it came to flexing their strengths. Still, HIS support would hardly help - if anything it would doom the plan to the pits of 'well of course the dwarf would approve of a plan that kept him out of danger' that would... not be entirely wrong, but was something it might never recover from. Still, he couldn't bring himself to lie down and give up on himself, even if the world in general did. He was, after all, an Abraxas. An ugly, stunted Abraxas, but certainly one of their blood despite that. So contrary to immediate self preservation, the dwarf cleared his throat to draw attention to himself.

"I believe, regardless of whom is chosen to begin," he began smoothly, "it would be wise to continue to center the Abraxas homeland in Auster. Here, even when the heat hits, we do not need concern ourselves with where our next meal will come from, or indeed waste our time in needing to take shelter from the elements constantly a large portion of the year as do those packs who remain in the north. As such we can concentrate our time and efforts instead on training ourselves, whether that training takes place in battle, or in educating our minds." He gestured a paw at himself with a self depreciating smile. "Let others fight simply to survive, while the Abraxas thrive and grow strong in the south. Surely we will have the strength to force a pack to make the journey south when the time comes."

As was his way, Apollo listened, and observed, and weighed, as his family performed their intricate dance of various disparate personalities all vying and jostling to find their place in the collective that had gathered, both physically and metaphorically. So many personalities, with so little agreement between them. Each raised to believe themselves perfect, to believe themselves stronger and smarter and simply better than anyone else.

The others spoke up at Amon's invitation, and while Apollo filed each suggestion away as it was spoken he did not yet know even as much of the area as most of the family so he had no comment to offer on any of them. He didn't have anything to offer on that front, but as his dwarf nephew's suggestion was received by the others Apollo slowly came to his feet.

That military precision followed as he stood, sun-gold eyes fixing each of them in turn. "I believe that there is a future problem that must, logically, be solved now before we have taken a single pack." His deep voice cut through to the furthest ears among them. "It is suggested that in this empire, there will be many packs lead by Abraxas. This is good, very good." He paused to ruminate a moment, nodding once sharply in agreement with this vision. "But."

He tilted his head to catch them all in a hard stare. "An empire that does not move as one is nothing more than a group of squabbling children. Easily divided, and thus easily broken. At the end of it all, at its very core, an empire must answer to one voice and one alone. When it matters most, only one of us may lead and the others follow. We may not all agree on who that may be when that time comes. If even one of us decides at an inopportune moment that THEY would lead better and strike for control, we may all fall. Therefore, I propose we decide this here and else decide it now. Until now it has largely remained unspoken. We all left our father for one reason or another, and not all of us left to follow a new leader. But now that we have gathered here we must by necessity make that choice. Which of us leads this family?"

He carefully seated himself once more, calmly. Twitched his tail into precise position. "I believe that position belongs solely to Amon Abraxas. Is there disagreement? Or are we all agreed to follow him alone and not our own desires?"