- Location
- USA
Honestly? Not completely sure. I think I just wanted more out of it? Maybe?
The Many & The One (Riot God Quest)
- Thread starter Dragonofelder
- Start date
- Location
- 𐌂 ̢͎̩̤̲̙͓̑̀͂͒̀͆̏𐋏 ̛͏̫̚𐌀 ̛͉̥̩̤̰͈̂̅͒͊͟𐍈 ̣͛𐍃 ̡̅̈́
Well, I could use this place to leave traces of the Choir after it disappear, so Dark Arts would still work... But old idea woulkd serve it better, I suppose? Still, great.
Also, how about idea, that the soul is a reflection/shadow that all objects of the physical world cast on this place. However, only sufficiently complex structures (living and/or intelligent) have a sufficiently complex and clear shadow/reflection to be able to somehow influence and perceive this side of the world in rare cases or specific circumstances?
Also, how about idea, that the soul is a reflection/shadow that all objects of the physical world cast on this place. However, only sufficiently complex structures (living and/or intelligent) have a sufficiently complex and clear shadow/reflection to be able to somehow influence and perceive this side of the world in rare cases or specific circumstances?
- Location
- A Pit Of My Own Making
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Exactly. As intresting as it would be to give the Helm of Wisdom to a Helper Beast, it's not what I'm going for.
Unsure what you traded shadows for fire, other than that seems good.
- Location
- 𐌂 ̢͎̩̤̲̙͓̑̀͂͒̀͆̏𐋏 ̛͏̫̚𐌀 ̛͉̥̩̤̰͈̂̅͒͊͟𐍈 ̣͛𐍃 ̡̅̈́
Could it be some other creature living in the fields or near? What dcandidates do we have? What if this helper belongs to some embodiment of the bisurit of 'help' or 'comfort' or something else harmless? It is just lost.
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- Location
- USA
Oh that was to match the aesthetic of my Name of The Many.
I guess… that could work?
…feel mildly discouraged honestly.
Maybe you could take a different approach if you're not satisfied by your current one? I'll throw out some ideas, take whatever you want as inspiration or ignore them at your leisure;
Instead of creating a whole new plane of reality separate from the material real, directly overlay the concept of 'spirits' onto the material realm in a physical sense. Spirits are atoms, they're the fundamental substance of everything, they interact through a metaphorical layer of reality which isn't parallel from the rest of reality but does operate on different rules like quantum physics in real life works differently from general relativity.
Maybe make the spirit realm something like a shadow of the future, a counterpart to the Far Shore which is an echo of the past; basically the spirit world is a multiplicity of possible outcomes all diverging and fluid like mist, they become more coherent and powerful the closer they are to the 'present', and their existences are all based on the current powers of the world that haven't reached their potential yet.
Either way, you can tie in the spirit realm with the metaphysics of Runes, Explosions, Fate, Music, what have you. There's a lot of ways you can integrate it to make Spirits a bigger part of the cosmology, give them their own place to exist, and bind everything else closer together.
- Location
- 𐌂 ̢͎̩̤̲̙͓̑̀͂͒̀͆̏𐋏 ̛͏̫̚𐌀 ̛͉̥̩̤̰͈̂̅͒͊͟𐍈 ̣͛𐍃 ̡̅̈́
This sounds like dark matter. Some substance, which interact with anything else only in very specific way. Interesting.
- Location
- USA
[][???] The Shadows of Creation
-[] In the atmosphere, in the earth, in the water, and in all other forms of matter living and non-living, there exists a spiritual shadow. In non-living matter, this shadow is still and static, but if used to create something by sentient hands, the shadow of that new existence will stir and begin to grow as it grows older, gathering experience and form memories, making the shadow darker and denser, causing the vessel to increase in effectiveness and eventually it will begin to form a Shadow Song that give it supernatural powers based on those experiences and memories, and over the years eventually solidify into a fully realized Spirit.
The spiritual shadow of living beings is different, more active and growing alongside the living beings it inhabits. Once a living being forms an identity and had self-awareness, the shadow will shift into a Soul, a living shadow of the self-aware living being that carries with them all of their memories and consciousness even after the death of their physical half, allowing a mortal to persist after death as an shadowy Ghost. Ghosts possess a Shadow Song that embodies the live they had, a spiritual melody that serves as a musical culmination of their being. Ghosts tend to be attracted to those who hold similar Fates they had in life, desiring to follow them and bear witness.
Ghosts and Spirits can interact with the shadows of creation, manipulating the world through its shadows for either benevolent or malicious purposes. Specifically, they can grasp and move the Shadow of an object to move the actual object around, stir up static shadows into activity to jumpstart the creation of more nature aligned Spirits, damage a shadow to harm the physical counterpart, feed static shadows into a living Soul to strengthen the mortal, and generally use a shadows to indirectly manipulate the physical. Ghosts and Spirits can consume the shadows of creation to strengthen themselves, though consuming Souls of the living or other Ghosts and Spirits will cause them to deteriorate into a monstrous creature called an Oblīviō, a misshapen horror that has lost its memories and thus has lost its Shadow Song, it is in fact completely mute, and they cannot possess Spirit Beasts.
Oblīviō do possess one ability in exchange, they can take form in the physical world as beasts of inky mud with a pearlescent skull mask for each Soul, Spirit, and Ghost they have consumed, and covered in tattered and torn pages of sheet music, the notes jumbled up and smudged that represents the corrupted and amalgamated Shadow Songs of those consumed that act like fur, feathers, and scales depending on what kind of beast they resemble or a cloak of pages for more humanoid Oblīviō. In this state, the only way to slay them is to break all of the mask that represents the original entity, though breaking the other masks will weaken it. Weapons made of spiritually attuned metals are very effective at harming Oblīviō, especially those made with Symphonic Crafting.
Ghosts, lacking a physical anchor unlike Spirits, will eventually fade away after thirteen years and reappear in the Far Shore. A Ghost can delay this by binding themselves to a place or item that they held significant attachment to in life and "Haunt" it, though if it is badly damaged, desecrated, or destroyed the bond will sever and they will find themselves fading extremely quickly as part of the backlash. If they can't find a new place or item to Haunt, they will instead fade away in a week. Ghosts may also choose to fade away willingly, if they feel that they lack any reason to stay.
Spirits, so long as their physical vessel exists, will not fade away. Though, if their vessel is damaged then it will reflect on the Spirit as wounds or sickness until repaired. If the vessel is desecrated, the Spirit will fly into a fury and unleash its wrath on the one responsible and be maddened until it is cleansed and restored. Destroying the vessel (snapping a sword, burning down a house, smashing a vase, etc.) will cause the Spirit to die and disperse into free floating static shadow that lingers where they died.
Okay, how does this look?
-[] In the atmosphere, in the earth, in the water, and in all other forms of matter living and non-living, there exists a spiritual shadow. In non-living matter, this shadow is still and static, but if used to create something by sentient hands, the shadow of that new existence will stir and begin to grow as it grows older, gathering experience and form memories, making the shadow darker and denser, causing the vessel to increase in effectiveness and eventually it will begin to form a Shadow Song that give it supernatural powers based on those experiences and memories, and over the years eventually solidify into a fully realized Spirit.
The spiritual shadow of living beings is different, more active and growing alongside the living beings it inhabits. Once a living being forms an identity and had self-awareness, the shadow will shift into a Soul, a living shadow of the self-aware living being that carries with them all of their memories and consciousness even after the death of their physical half, allowing a mortal to persist after death as an shadowy Ghost. Ghosts possess a Shadow Song that embodies the live they had, a spiritual melody that serves as a musical culmination of their being. Ghosts tend to be attracted to those who hold similar Fates they had in life, desiring to follow them and bear witness.
Ghosts and Spirits can interact with the shadows of creation, manipulating the world through its shadows for either benevolent or malicious purposes. Specifically, they can grasp and move the Shadow of an object to move the actual object around, stir up static shadows into activity to jumpstart the creation of more nature aligned Spirits, damage a shadow to harm the physical counterpart, feed static shadows into a living Soul to strengthen the mortal, and generally use a shadows to indirectly manipulate the physical. Ghosts and Spirits can consume the shadows of creation to strengthen themselves, though consuming Souls of the living or other Ghosts and Spirits will cause them to deteriorate into a monstrous creature called an Oblīviō, a misshapen horror that has lost its memories and thus has lost its Shadow Song, it is in fact completely mute, and they cannot possess Spirit Beasts.
Oblīviō do possess one ability in exchange, they can take form in the physical world as beasts of inky mud with a pearlescent skull mask for each Soul, Spirit, and Ghost they have consumed, and covered in tattered and torn pages of sheet music, the notes jumbled up and smudged that represents the corrupted and amalgamated Shadow Songs of those consumed that act like fur, feathers, and scales depending on what kind of beast they resemble or a cloak of pages for more humanoid Oblīviō. In this state, the only way to slay them is to break all of the mask that represents the original entity, though breaking the other masks will weaken it. Weapons made of spiritually attuned metals are very effective at harming Oblīviō, especially those made with Symphonic Crafting.
Ghosts, lacking a physical anchor unlike Spirits, will eventually fade away after thirteen years and reappear in the Far Shore. A Ghost can delay this by binding themselves to a place or item that they held significant attachment to in life and "Haunt" it, though if it is badly damaged, desecrated, or destroyed the bond will sever and they will find themselves fading extremely quickly as part of the backlash. If they can't find a new place or item to Haunt, they will instead fade away in a week. Ghosts may also choose to fade away willingly, if they feel that they lack any reason to stay.
Spirits, so long as their physical vessel exists, will not fade away. Though, if their vessel is damaged then it will reflect on the Spirit as wounds or sickness until repaired. If the vessel is desecrated, the Spirit will fly into a fury and unleash its wrath on the one responsible and be maddened until it is cleansed and restored. Destroying the vessel (snapping a sword, burning down a house, smashing a vase, etc.) will cause the Spirit to die and disperse into free floating static shadow that lingers where they died.
Okay, how does this look?
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- Location
- 𐌂 ̢͎̩̤̲̙͓̑̀͂͒̀͆̏𐋏 ̛͏̫̚𐌀 ̛͉̥̩̤̰͈̂̅͒͊͟𐍈 ̣͛𐍃 ̡̅̈́
Hmm, I've seen something like this before... Maybe?
How do you think it would affect the world? Like, what's going to happen?
How do you think it would affect the world? Like, what's going to happen?
- Location
- USA
Well, Ghosts will exist and by messing with the Shadows, they and Spirits can mess with the world and it's inhabitants in indirect ways, and you get a new form of monsters.
I wonder If It pass how It would affect the Shadow Nymphs? They would become low level psychs?
- Location
- 𐌂 ̢͎̩̤̲̙͓̑̀͂͒̀͆̏𐋏 ̛͏̫̚𐌀 ̛͉̥̩̤̰͈̂̅͒͊͟𐍈 ̣͛𐍃 ̡̅̈́
Сould there be an overpopulation by ghosts?
- Location
- USA
Potentially, though I suppose someone could come up with a solution to that.
- Location
- 𐌂 ̢͎̩̤̲̙͓̑̀͂͒̀͆̏𐋏 ̛͏̫̚𐌀 ̛͉̥̩̤̰͈̂̅͒͊͟𐍈 ̣͛𐍃 ̡̅̈́
What if there is depth for this place? Physical objects act as floats and keep things from sinking too deep. Shadow without physical representation in reality slowly going deeper. And the more it tries to interact, the more it moves, the faster it happens. And with depth it becomes more difficult to affect some shadows directly - they just go out of reach, not deep enough. In the end, after many years, the shadow sinks so deep that at some point it falls through and ends up on the Far Shore. From there it will not return the same way.
Oh that allows the idea of ghosts bound to a place to make sense in the world too as they have a somewhat physical representation.
What a overpopulation of ghosts is like? Populational density compared to living beings?
- Location
- 𐌂 ̢͎̩̤̲̙͓̑̀͂͒̀͆̏𐋏 ̛͏̫̚𐌀 ̛͉̥̩̤̰͈̂̅͒͊͟𐍈 ̣͛𐍃 ̡̅̈́
Well, if new living being born creates new shadow, but after death of body it becomes independent ghost, which does not disappear anywhere forever... Number of them going to rise infinetly and density of population too. Imagine: there are so many ghosts, that they are cannot find object to affect, because all items affected by thousands of them at the same time. It's like there are hundred things in the world and it finite in volume, but there are thousands ghosts.
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- Location
- USA
Okay, I've added that Ghosts need to regularly feed on shadows or fade away, or they can be forcibly dispersed by spiritually attuned and effecting weapons.
@Andre Chaos , what do you think?
@Andre Chaos , what do you think?
This is cool; though I initially questioned the need for objects to have specifically been worked in order to begin growing, I thought about it and it feels like it's in theme and differentiates spirits here with generic nature spites. They're more like Tsukumogami instead, which is interesting and unique, that doesn't crop up as much as other kinds of spirits.
Ghosts are a little...well, poorly balanced, in my opinion. Everything has Shadows now, so there's probably not ever going to be a situation where they don't have anything to consume until there's already far too many of them and they saturate everywhere in the World, at which point mass cannibalism becomes a huge problem and the spiritual ecosystem turns into a complete disaster which will probably never recover. They and Spirits have vague powers over shadows which, again, is ever-present, and they get stronger from just doing what they have to do to continue existing anyway.
Also...why not just have Ghosts go to the Far Shore? That's literally what the Far Shore is for.
"Can't" here is probably meant to be "Can", otherwise this part makes no sense.
- Location
- USA
Eh, fair enough, I'll just have them slowly fade away to the Far Shore then after a few years unless they get eaten. Maybe 13 Years?
Whoops! Thanks for catching that! Autocorrect sometimes gives me one when I want the other.
Any other suggestions?
EDIT: Okay, edited the Act again and defined the shadow manipulation somewhat. Also added how Ghosts and Spirits be removed.
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- Location
- A Pit Of My Own Making
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Possible, I guess. But unlikely.
Looks good! Like that you've included Souls, as those seemed to be missing.
- Location
- 𐌂 ̢͎̩̤̲̙͓̑̀͂͒̀͆̏𐋏 ̛͏̫̚𐌀 ̛͉̥̩̤̰͈̂̅͒͊͟𐍈 ̣͛𐍃 ̡̅̈́
This where I have seen it! So much time did pass.
- Location
- USA
Hmmm, that could work. Maybe tattered pages of sheet music that have jumbled up notes representing the mashed together Shadow Songs of the Oblīviō that are spread across its body in a way that resembles fur/feathers/scales on an animal, or as a cloak on more humanoid ones?
The Tale of the Three Brothers
The Tale of the Three Brothers
In a lonely land were men had not dwelled for long yet forged great friendship sat a burning little fire were men walked with spears and torches in hands. Yurts and tents of all kind circling the flame as the great expanse above them threatened to swallow them all whole, near this warm flame that sat surrounded by clay brick dribbling light out of it. Slowly expanding to fill the circled enclave were a few figure sat around a bearded man with too many white strands in his beard.
"A story?"
"Yes elder, mother said you knew how we came to be?"
The elder scratched his balding head as coiled a coiled shape moved to accommodate, "Oh yes but that a rather boring story, there is plenty more interesting ones to tell."
"Really?" Curiosity filled the children as the warmth of the fire kissed their backs.
"Of course, do you know the Tale of the Three Brothers?"
The gathered crowd of youngsters shook their heads thought some snickered or looked curiously at three brothers sitting with them. One was tiny, the other average in all things and the third the largest child in the the tribe as they perked up at the tale. The elder cackled, "No not them… thought I do have some of their tales too. No, I will tell you of the tale that gave our tribe purpose." The boys all looked quite sheepish at this comment but they listened nonetheless.
"It was said that in ancient days there were three brothers who had no purpose so the eldest of their family slunk to the hunting grounds and hunted for his brothers. He was a mighty hunter and he proved his worth, with feats of strength and resilience." Raising his hand to cast a greater shadow. "He grew mighty on the meat growing great in size and power, so strong he was that with a single strike he created waves that could drown men."
Hand raised in fake applause, "He had found his place in the world as the greatest hunter and despite it all he would care for his smaller and weaker brothers. Yet he saw no potential as hunters in them and treated them as lesser despite his love."
"The middling child and youngest did not like this so they attempted to hunt and they were proven to be weak and slow unable to feed themselves. Driven by fear they escaped to far away lands when the tallest of the brothers was gone and the two disappeared from their home."
As the elder talked the tallest boy asked, "Why did they leave, they were loved and taken care off? Sounds like a good life."
"Simply they wanted to contribute, humans are not animals we want to do something well umm valuable." He let the children think on the lesson before continuing, "The middling child found his talent amongst this strange land for he may not have great strength he had a cunning mind and good eyes. He foraged for small beasts and tools that he used to make a life for him and his smallest sibling among the strange lands on the outskirts of his eldest brothers territories. He lacked the strength of arms but made up in wisdom and cunning an innovator at heart he would make friendships with the strangest of creatures."
"Yet just like the first brother he treated his youngest sibling as lesser for he was neither strong nor clever. He was not useful and were the eldest did not want them to risk their lives the middling thought the youngest was not capable."
The average boy cut in asking, "If you're not clever or strong what can you contribute?"
The elder smiled at that, "Now the story ain't finished. So the youngest left the middling brother and he chose to do what neither his brothers believe they could do. He climbed the tallest peak in the world to see it all, he did not have the strength of the eldest or the cunning of the middling but he had the desire. He thought storm, wind and snow till he reached the peak of the highest mountain in the world." Pausing for dramatic effect, "Now what do you think happened next?"
The youngest of the trio spoke matter of factly, "He died."
Sputtering, "By the high no. I really need to talk to your mother about this attitude of yours. Now where was I?"
The middling stated, "At the part were the youngest brother found?"
"Ah yes the youngest saw the world and how tiny it was for now he knew were all the secrets of the world were and how to get them. He was not a strong and mighty hunter, neither was he a cunning and perceptive shaman but he was wilful and curious for he was a traveller." Clasping his hands, "What did you learn?"
The tallest scratching his head, "Climb mountains?"
"No."
The youngest stated, "That being the hunter offers you the most reward."
"Well… yes but that not the point."
Like a bulb of light the middling spoke, "That the brothers are really a metaphor for snakes?"
Sighing as his palm covered his beard, "The lesson is that even those who are not cunning or strong have a place in it… also yes indeed the tale is how our friends came to be." The coiling shadow upon his shoulders slivered down as it curled around his hand and gave a small nod as if to agree placing itself upon the open hand, "Remember no one is useless. All can offer something but only those who put in the effort for that is why we are the Scaliepere. We are tamers of the Serpents of Stone and through it we have come to be known."
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Look I just really like the idea of snake worshiping people.
In a lonely land were men had not dwelled for long yet forged great friendship sat a burning little fire were men walked with spears and torches in hands. Yurts and tents of all kind circling the flame as the great expanse above them threatened to swallow them all whole, near this warm flame that sat surrounded by clay brick dribbling light out of it. Slowly expanding to fill the circled enclave were a few figure sat around a bearded man with too many white strands in his beard.
"A story?"
"Yes elder, mother said you knew how we came to be?"
The elder scratched his balding head as coiled a coiled shape moved to accommodate, "Oh yes but that a rather boring story, there is plenty more interesting ones to tell."
"Really?" Curiosity filled the children as the warmth of the fire kissed their backs.
"Of course, do you know the Tale of the Three Brothers?"
The gathered crowd of youngsters shook their heads thought some snickered or looked curiously at three brothers sitting with them. One was tiny, the other average in all things and the third the largest child in the the tribe as they perked up at the tale. The elder cackled, "No not them… thought I do have some of their tales too. No, I will tell you of the tale that gave our tribe purpose." The boys all looked quite sheepish at this comment but they listened nonetheless.
"It was said that in ancient days there were three brothers who had no purpose so the eldest of their family slunk to the hunting grounds and hunted for his brothers. He was a mighty hunter and he proved his worth, with feats of strength and resilience." Raising his hand to cast a greater shadow. "He grew mighty on the meat growing great in size and power, so strong he was that with a single strike he created waves that could drown men."
Hand raised in fake applause, "He had found his place in the world as the greatest hunter and despite it all he would care for his smaller and weaker brothers. Yet he saw no potential as hunters in them and treated them as lesser despite his love."
"The middling child and youngest did not like this so they attempted to hunt and they were proven to be weak and slow unable to feed themselves. Driven by fear they escaped to far away lands when the tallest of the brothers was gone and the two disappeared from their home."
As the elder talked the tallest boy asked, "Why did they leave, they were loved and taken care off? Sounds like a good life."
"Simply they wanted to contribute, humans are not animals we want to do something well umm valuable." He let the children think on the lesson before continuing, "The middling child found his talent amongst this strange land for he may not have great strength he had a cunning mind and good eyes. He foraged for small beasts and tools that he used to make a life for him and his smallest sibling among the strange lands on the outskirts of his eldest brothers territories. He lacked the strength of arms but made up in wisdom and cunning an innovator at heart he would make friendships with the strangest of creatures."
"Yet just like the first brother he treated his youngest sibling as lesser for he was neither strong nor clever. He was not useful and were the eldest did not want them to risk their lives the middling thought the youngest was not capable."
The average boy cut in asking, "If you're not clever or strong what can you contribute?"
The elder smiled at that, "Now the story ain't finished. So the youngest left the middling brother and he chose to do what neither his brothers believe they could do. He climbed the tallest peak in the world to see it all, he did not have the strength of the eldest or the cunning of the middling but he had the desire. He thought storm, wind and snow till he reached the peak of the highest mountain in the world." Pausing for dramatic effect, "Now what do you think happened next?"
The youngest of the trio spoke matter of factly, "He died."
Sputtering, "By the high no. I really need to talk to your mother about this attitude of yours. Now where was I?"
The middling stated, "At the part were the youngest brother found?"
"Ah yes the youngest saw the world and how tiny it was for now he knew were all the secrets of the world were and how to get them. He was not a strong and mighty hunter, neither was he a cunning and perceptive shaman but he was wilful and curious for he was a traveller." Clasping his hands, "What did you learn?"
The tallest scratching his head, "Climb mountains?"
"No."
The youngest stated, "That being the hunter offers you the most reward."
"Well… yes but that not the point."
Like a bulb of light the middling spoke, "That the brothers are really a metaphor for snakes?"
Sighing as his palm covered his beard, "The lesson is that even those who are not cunning or strong have a place in it… also yes indeed the tale is how our friends came to be." The coiling shadow upon his shoulders slivered down as it curled around his hand and gave a small nod as if to agree placing itself upon the open hand, "Remember no one is useless. All can offer something but only those who put in the effort for that is why we are the Scaliepere. We are tamers of the Serpents of Stone and through it we have come to be known."
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Look I just really like the idea of snake worshiping people.