Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
Should remove the Xs from your old vote, since I think it might confuse the vote counter.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X]Write-in: The Flame, the Sea, the Ant inbetween.
Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
the other option is sparring with him.
Just doing so while boxed in between a raging fire and the growing tide.
[X] Listen to Ant's rundown of your true potential.
Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
Please don't ask for our true potential.
Remember that Ant's whole thing is struggle, so this is likely a test (You're not exactly trying to overcome limits if you're working within your limits).
Remember that Ant's whole thing is struggle, so this is likely a test (You're not exactly trying to overcome limits if you're working within your limits).
- Location
- Vicksburg, MS
I don't typically regard write-ins, but I do oppose the asking for potential thing. I think this guy is more than capable of putting us in the necessary danger without theatrics, and the theatrics aren't magically incentivized to not kill us like he is.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
Any particular reason?
- Location
- Vicksburg, MS
His stated specialty is development through struggle, isn't it? And furthermore, that's what he seems to develop from. His heart is likely more in that than giving tips (so he is likely to be in a better mood and develop us in a better way) and we know he probably won't actually kill us and break the contract.
- Location
- PA
Building on this-frankly now is a time to either get good or be relagated to being a weakling. Given that's what we were before and nearly ended up fighting an Angel of War to our deaths, being a weakling sucks. But naturally, one can't just become great via riding off someone stronger's efforts, because those stronger individuals are gone, and a new pecking order needs to be established. We're already strong enough to warrant attention-let's become strong enough that people cannot lightly ignore our desires, at least.
Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
The flame and sea are liable to lend more weight/power to whatever comes out of this, though. The primordial-balance of fire and water, both ever-closer to meeting with you between, narrowing your world so the only way forward is take on the closest thing left to a god? That's thematic as hell.
I won't say standing between a fire and the tide isn't somewhat dangerous. It is, sure, but that's kind of the point.
This situation isn't inescapable or anything; whoever wants out can go through the water (swim) or through the fire(jump over/through). Hell, if we're not up against a cliff-face, they can literally just back out of the fight.
- Location
- Vicksburg, MS
This falls flat in my mind, it's just goofy imagining them setting up a line of fire like Runescape bonfire spammers with water lapping at the beach and the prompt of "thematic as hell" is not too compelling for me. It takes a lot for me to consider a write-in as a real improvement and this just doesn't cut it in my book, sorry.
- Location
- PA
:/ :\...
Alright, here's the thing- if Ant just beats us until we get good, we're going to come out of this with martial acendancies in terms of our powers, and he'll probably predictably become some sort of warrior spirit archetype.
If we take this risk, we stand to have a choice between elementalism and martial ascendancy, so on the chance that one cannot go one way-say Dawn isn't someone with the right mindset to gain a martial power, she could instead use her elemental potential instead, and vice-versa.
It's about keeping our profile open for new tricks.
And also, if we come out with a brand new never-before seen power? That will among other things make the price more trivial (we'll get into fights that pay the yearly tithe more often.) but also open the idea of recruitment if we decide we want minions, since people will want the new trick we're swinging about.
Plus and this is getting into dirty pool territory, but even if we don't there's no garuntee someone else will pull a stunt like this.
Alright, here's the thing- if Ant just beats us until we get good, we're going to come out of this with martial acendancies in terms of our powers, and he'll probably predictably become some sort of warrior spirit archetype.
If we take this risk, we stand to have a choice between elementalism and martial ascendancy, so on the chance that one cannot go one way-say Dawn isn't someone with the right mindset to gain a martial power, she could instead use her elemental potential instead, and vice-versa.
It's about keeping our profile open for new tricks.
And also, if we come out with a brand new never-before seen power? That will among other things make the price more trivial (we'll get into fights that pay the yearly tithe more often.) but also open the idea of recruitment if we decide we want minions, since people will want the new trick we're swinging about.
Plus and this is getting into dirty pool territory, but even if we don't there's no garuntee someone else will pull a stunt like this.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I mean, the qm thinks it's an interesting idea and has stated that he would have told us if it were something that the characters would know shouldn't work in principle. We have a novice mage and an alarmingly honest struggle spirit who would be able to shoot this down if it didn't make any sense or had no shot at working. I'm... Also struggling to see how you're picturing what was described as a forest fire as a line of runescape bonfires.
- Location
- Vicksburg, MS
My apologies, I didn't read particularly carefully. I didn't see that it would be a forest fire, but I have zero interest in starting one of those at the altar of "thematics".
Just because an idea is "interesting" and our band of knuckleheads doesn't see a problem with it does not mean that it will necessarily take us to great places.
Teloch
ಠ_ಠ
- Location
- The middle of nowhere
Am I the only one who sees the progress in building a team, painstackingly grinding mastery, and overcoming individual flaws rather than jumping on a prospect of shortcuts offered by some spirit thing, who has clearly stated that it would likely have ulterior motives, and whom the PC did not know even for a week?
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Well, here I thought I could take a couple of weeks to focus on work without anyone noticing. Silly me!
This has been some good discussion, which delights me, but I think I'm going to need to call it here just to keep things manageable.
I'm going to aim to get an update out within 24-48 hours, and I'm just going to ominously say that nothing picked here was going to work perfectly, including write-ins.
This has been some good discussion, which delights me, but I think I'm going to need to call it here just to keep things manageable.
I'm going to aim to get an update out within 24-48 hours, and I'm just going to ominously say that nothing picked here was going to work perfectly, including write-ins.
Teloch
ಠ_ಠ
- Location
- The middle of nowhere
Now I just have to catch the new update fresh enough to channel the voting process in the way of improving our team of misfits
- Location
- PA
Can't argue with that.
Ant potential thing seems like it could be...problematic to hear of/know your limitations, and I could see Ant being less then keen on us taking what might otherwise be considered the 'easy' way out.
Fighting with Ant has the obvious risk of injury.
And my personal write-in probably carried simmilar risk or could have damage/destroyed the temple. Or simply had a cost in time/oppertunity.
Let's hope knowledge is more empowering then not...
A less welcome revelation
- Pronouns
- They/Them
You sigh again. "I think I do want to hear what you have to say."
"Really?" You hear something unexpected in Ant's voice, an emotion you can't quite identify. "You really are an honest soul, aren't you? Even when I tell you it's something you won't want to hear, you seek to get and share information with your fellows." It dawns on you: it's respect, at least after a fashion. "You've been very consistent on that. I don't know what to make of it. I guess we'll see if you continue to do so... boss."
Ant fades out. You join your three companions in the middle of the oversized audience chamber. Kalju notices your expression as you approach, and inclines his head in an unspoken question. Samir and Dawn, as familiar with him as you are, notice and follow his line of sight.
There's the inevitable round of explanations. People are growing somewhat used to the idea of Ant, so that simplifies it somewhat. It doesn't take long before you're all arranged in a circle, touching the pendant that is Ant, so its phantom form can be seen and heard by the four of you.
"I confess I hadn't expected to actually share this," Ant says. "But your boss is oddly consistent in his principles. So... forgive me if I'm not very eloquent." Ant clears its throat unnecessarily. "I am not a seer myself, so there is always a little wiggle room in what I know. I just have experience to draw on. I've seen people succeed, and I've seen people fail. I've seen the difference between people who are unable, people who never saw a reason to develop their potential, and people who lacked the conviction to stick to things."
Ant first looks back the way you came. "I suppose it's fairly obvious, and I suppose you'll have to tell her yourself, but Zahira is almost born to do magic. She's going to do well with any path, I think, save perhaps divination. She's got some interesting luck to have not been skilled enough to die in that big attack."
Its hooded glance turns to you. "You, Azer, seem a good example of someone who never saw a reason to develop before. You'll never be amazing. You're no prodigy. But you should be... adequate at whatever you put your hand to. You have a logicl enough mind you could work tome magic, you could pick up something martial, bind a concept, learn elementalism, whatever."
It turns to Dawn. "Ah, Dawn. You're an interesting case. You have the self-assurance needed to balance opposing forces. I believe you could be good at elemental magic, first and foremost. Enlightened martial traditions or conceptual magic, possibly, but not as much." Dawn closes her eyes at that, taking a deep breath. It's clear she was tense, wondering what the spirit would say.
A pale hand wobbles as Ant turns its attention to Kalju. "You have some promise towards the martial side, too, probably more than Azer. It's hard to tell. I don't think you are likely to be able to work magic, however, or at least not with any great skill." Kalju is impassive on hearing this.
Ant drops its harms limply by its side as it turns to Samir. "You, however, I see nothing for. Maybe you could show a miracle by sheer dint of extreme effort. Other than that, maybe a good Contract?"
There is a long moment of silence and stillness. It finally breaks when Samir turns and walks away, having said nothing.
You immediately, instinctively, move to go after him. You find yourself restrained. You look down. Dawn has a hand on your arm. "Boss, I know you're going to talk to him, but... think it through, okay? He's always been the weak link, hasn't he? Don't sugarcoat things, or..." She falters. "I know you like to be kind, but sometimes tough truth is the best we can do."
You try to shake off her hand, but she holds on, trying to think of something more to say. Kalju puts a silent hand on her shoulder. Dawn glances at him briefly, and lets you go.
As you go after Samir, Ant starts to manifest in front of you. "Go away, Ant," you say through gritted teeth. The figure vanishes instantly.
Samir isn't hard to find. He just walked back to the room he'd claimed, and is sitting on the floor, arms curled around his knees. You sit near him.
He offers you a weak grin. "Come to check up on me, hm? Going to see if I'm going to try to figure out how to shoot an arrow back at my own head or something?" He loosens his hands to mime a confused working of his bow.
"Well, you were upset," you say.
"Yeah, I am." He shifts position a few times. "Not for why you probably think, though." He pauses, putting his own thoughts in order. "I wish I had some more of that booze," he says, conversationally, before continuing. "I don't actually care if I get to command the forces of nature or whatever. I just want to have enough for me. And it's never happened."
Two more adjustments, and Samir stands up to begin pacing, instead. "I was born in a little fishing village. We lost all our boats to raids one year. We were starving. My parents sent me to the temple of Tal-Roshath knowing I would be a blood sacrifice for the god... but hoping I'd have a chance to live a little longer first and maybe die with food in my belly." He throws his hands in the air. "Then, a miracle occurs! The whole damn order of the world up and dies and I get a reprieve. Hell, maybe I can live. We should've taken that magic sword from the angel. Why didn't it break?" He doesn't slow down long enough for you to try to answer the question. "But, no, we don't pick that up, or go for easy scores like those potions. Fine, whatever. But now apparently I can't achieve anything in what you wanted to do. I don't care how I get there--I just want to have a comfortable life. And all the world has given me is failure and pushing me aside to die." Most of this is new to you. When all your companions are doomed to die, and most of you came from bad backgrounds to begin with, thinking about where you came from was discouraged by the priests. You never really knew your companions' backgrounds before they came to the temple.
Samir halts pacing. His voice returns to normal. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," you assure him. "I think I'd be upset, too."
"I'll be okay in a minute. But, boss... what am I going to do? I don't know what I..." He massages his temples with one hand. "Every time I sort of get something together it turns to rot."
You need to come up with an approach for Samir. It doesn't need to be detailed right now, as the flow of conversation will determine that. What you're looking for is a central thought.
[] Cruelly kind: send him off alone to join up with the Admiral General as a normal fighting man.
[] Tell him Ant's probably wrong. Ant doesn't know everything. Samir will develop fine.
[] Emphasize the team, and the fact that he's part of it.
[] Write-in.
"Really?" You hear something unexpected in Ant's voice, an emotion you can't quite identify. "You really are an honest soul, aren't you? Even when I tell you it's something you won't want to hear, you seek to get and share information with your fellows." It dawns on you: it's respect, at least after a fashion. "You've been very consistent on that. I don't know what to make of it. I guess we'll see if you continue to do so... boss."
Ant fades out. You join your three companions in the middle of the oversized audience chamber. Kalju notices your expression as you approach, and inclines his head in an unspoken question. Samir and Dawn, as familiar with him as you are, notice and follow his line of sight.
There's the inevitable round of explanations. People are growing somewhat used to the idea of Ant, so that simplifies it somewhat. It doesn't take long before you're all arranged in a circle, touching the pendant that is Ant, so its phantom form can be seen and heard by the four of you.
"I confess I hadn't expected to actually share this," Ant says. "But your boss is oddly consistent in his principles. So... forgive me if I'm not very eloquent." Ant clears its throat unnecessarily. "I am not a seer myself, so there is always a little wiggle room in what I know. I just have experience to draw on. I've seen people succeed, and I've seen people fail. I've seen the difference between people who are unable, people who never saw a reason to develop their potential, and people who lacked the conviction to stick to things."
Ant first looks back the way you came. "I suppose it's fairly obvious, and I suppose you'll have to tell her yourself, but Zahira is almost born to do magic. She's going to do well with any path, I think, save perhaps divination. She's got some interesting luck to have not been skilled enough to die in that big attack."
Its hooded glance turns to you. "You, Azer, seem a good example of someone who never saw a reason to develop before. You'll never be amazing. You're no prodigy. But you should be... adequate at whatever you put your hand to. You have a logicl enough mind you could work tome magic, you could pick up something martial, bind a concept, learn elementalism, whatever."
It turns to Dawn. "Ah, Dawn. You're an interesting case. You have the self-assurance needed to balance opposing forces. I believe you could be good at elemental magic, first and foremost. Enlightened martial traditions or conceptual magic, possibly, but not as much." Dawn closes her eyes at that, taking a deep breath. It's clear she was tense, wondering what the spirit would say.
A pale hand wobbles as Ant turns its attention to Kalju. "You have some promise towards the martial side, too, probably more than Azer. It's hard to tell. I don't think you are likely to be able to work magic, however, or at least not with any great skill." Kalju is impassive on hearing this.
Ant drops its harms limply by its side as it turns to Samir. "You, however, I see nothing for. Maybe you could show a miracle by sheer dint of extreme effort. Other than that, maybe a good Contract?"
There is a long moment of silence and stillness. It finally breaks when Samir turns and walks away, having said nothing.
You immediately, instinctively, move to go after him. You find yourself restrained. You look down. Dawn has a hand on your arm. "Boss, I know you're going to talk to him, but... think it through, okay? He's always been the weak link, hasn't he? Don't sugarcoat things, or..." She falters. "I know you like to be kind, but sometimes tough truth is the best we can do."
You try to shake off her hand, but she holds on, trying to think of something more to say. Kalju puts a silent hand on her shoulder. Dawn glances at him briefly, and lets you go.
As you go after Samir, Ant starts to manifest in front of you. "Go away, Ant," you say through gritted teeth. The figure vanishes instantly.
Samir isn't hard to find. He just walked back to the room he'd claimed, and is sitting on the floor, arms curled around his knees. You sit near him.
He offers you a weak grin. "Come to check up on me, hm? Going to see if I'm going to try to figure out how to shoot an arrow back at my own head or something?" He loosens his hands to mime a confused working of his bow.
"Well, you were upset," you say.
"Yeah, I am." He shifts position a few times. "Not for why you probably think, though." He pauses, putting his own thoughts in order. "I wish I had some more of that booze," he says, conversationally, before continuing. "I don't actually care if I get to command the forces of nature or whatever. I just want to have enough for me. And it's never happened."
Two more adjustments, and Samir stands up to begin pacing, instead. "I was born in a little fishing village. We lost all our boats to raids one year. We were starving. My parents sent me to the temple of Tal-Roshath knowing I would be a blood sacrifice for the god... but hoping I'd have a chance to live a little longer first and maybe die with food in my belly." He throws his hands in the air. "Then, a miracle occurs! The whole damn order of the world up and dies and I get a reprieve. Hell, maybe I can live. We should've taken that magic sword from the angel. Why didn't it break?" He doesn't slow down long enough for you to try to answer the question. "But, no, we don't pick that up, or go for easy scores like those potions. Fine, whatever. But now apparently I can't achieve anything in what you wanted to do. I don't care how I get there--I just want to have a comfortable life. And all the world has given me is failure and pushing me aside to die." Most of this is new to you. When all your companions are doomed to die, and most of you came from bad backgrounds to begin with, thinking about where you came from was discouraged by the priests. You never really knew your companions' backgrounds before they came to the temple.
Samir halts pacing. His voice returns to normal. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," you assure him. "I think I'd be upset, too."
"I'll be okay in a minute. But, boss... what am I going to do? I don't know what I..." He massages his temples with one hand. "Every time I sort of get something together it turns to rot."
You need to come up with an approach for Samir. It doesn't need to be detailed right now, as the flow of conversation will determine that. What you're looking for is a central thought.
[] Cruelly kind: send him off alone to join up with the Admiral General as a normal fighting man.
[] Tell him Ant's probably wrong. Ant doesn't know everything. Samir will develop fine.
[] Emphasize the team, and the fact that he's part of it.
[] Write-in.