For what it's worth, Vanguard would've been my vote in any case. Null resistance really seems quite valuable. But approval voting allows for
[X] Nightmare Praetor
[X] Auspicious Vanguard
A Simple Transaction I
- Thread starter Rihaku
- Start date
- Original
For what it's worth, Vanguard would've been my vote in any case. Null resistance really seems quite valuable. But approval voting allows for
[X] Nightmare Praetor
[X] Auspicious Vanguard
The hero did get golden eyes when he embraced the edge. That's fairly anime? Or Star Wars, at least. Also, the index has been updated.
Force Unto gets back into the grind and stays there, yielding more power in the long run. It assumes a higher burden of initial risk, but it's got much better healing abilities to compensate for that risk. It doesn't cash out like Unshattered or incentivize us to try to play politics and dance around the Tyrant's Doom like the Praetor. It's more of what we just got done doing, and you know what? Killing kaiju's pretty fun to read. We could do with more high-quality fight scenes.
Let's become the shining knight once more, wade into the fray and emerge from it bearing power-ups. Instead of shoring up weaknesses, let's play to our strengths. Actions speak louder than words. If we keep moving and never stop to give speeches, maybe people won't realize we're actually an asshole? The Decimator's Affliction mitigation baked into the option will also wind up saving a shitload of lives if taken early, not that we'll see most of it.
The scenario you posit, where the mech will immediately engage in combat with a unit that just helped it, sounds even worse to try the politic route with, they're clearly on a hair trigger and we shouldn't be interacting with them right now. Have Gisena stun it and skedaddle in this case.
We cracked the sound barrier going into the city, Gisena will slow us down some but we can still fade into the wilderness in minutes, our boys an insurgent. He knows the steps.
I don't like to harp on this much because it's a real mood killer, but yeah we're killing people every second. Some of those civilians that were wounded by the blood monsters? We tipped the scale between survival and death for them, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
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- Location
- Pindorama
But why when we have the chance to actually get their alliance? Just going back into the woods looking for random encounters is the height of unproductiveness. If we want the most efficient path to the most fights, we would need to accept their help. Especially if the monsters follow stereotypical Kaiiju behavior and prefer to attack cities. The traits of the wurm we killed certainly imply a designed weapon; not something we are likely to find by wandering into the woods. Even having Gisena stay and we go puts an incredible delay in our OODA loop and may costs us actually making a difference.
Force is often only as good as the intelligence to direct it. It won't matter if Force Upon has more power if we are prevented from applying it productively.
Force is often only as good as the intelligence to direct it. It won't matter if Force Upon has more power if we are prevented from applying it productively.
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Shard
One and Many
- Location
- Malaysia
I note that the Geas of Indenture is very much not relevent in the short term (It was in the immediate term). We can power-level for a century or so while mitigating various curses before proceeding to start on world conquest. Which is pretty hard with Doom of the Tyrant anyhow unless we have overwhelming power, relatively speaking.
Maragas
Nothing to see here.
- Location
- Tree House
Tired Reaction (Reaction: 826 Words)
Oh boy I can't wait to sleep in reasanable time like 1 30 am compared to 6 am of yesterday!
cashgrab omake power reaction post. Need the monies omake power.
your princess is in another castle Rihaku didn't gave us the option for armor. Actually, this is a good point. @Rihaku, why no armor option in LR selection?
By the way, what kind of hero didn't kill a dragon before?!? We need to remedy it immediately.
choppa mech Shinji Hero! Don't you know that you can't ask questions?
AN:
Yeah I am done. Another shameless reaction post.
Supporting Unshattered and Force Unto.
Oh boy I can't wait to sleep in reasanable time like 1 30 am compared to 6 am of yesterday!
Time to do another
Oh look, glorious red people keeps not taking. I do like the name though, straight to the point...I am not sorry
As voted, removing the disease is better than threating the symptoms. Cut the head and the beast will die, cut the tail and it will bite you. *Add wise words here*
Ah, classical conundrum of whatever Chickens or Eggs came first. Is our blade broken because we broke in the final fight or are we broken because the sword broke? Though like our hero said, it doesn't matter now...for now.
Or it matters now and our hero answered it. Huh, that was quick. By the way, our best friend is a sword right now. Fun times ahead.
Another artifact stolen from Tyrant. We were quite the thief aren't we. I can see why people like voting for Nightmare. This may be why Tyrant was so strong that even Destiny was failing to stop him. but where did it came from? You can't find artifacts like this laying around. Is it another ploy of Hidden Masters? Someone opposing Hidden Master? A ROB deciding to fuck with them? I hope we can get the origin story behind the ring.
Sorry Hero
Even being the shade of his former self our Hero is strong enough to cut ranks of monsters. His apex must be frightening. On the plus side this world has better living standards than his former world! Not saying much seeing they are besieged by abominations but it's a step up!.. Probably.
Interesting design. An Asura to be precise. It's also in disrepair and probably in non optimal set up as it's parts are ill fitting.
Why did it spark a feeling of affinity? Are we its Shinji and it's our robot?
Here comes the best girl. She is evacuating the place and doing her good dead of the day. It's interesting to note that there are Feys in our former world.
Quite the wariness, not that I blame the hero. At least he isn't insanely paranoid.
Ah, I missed her and her dialogue. Love everything about this.
Love it.
Interesting observations, our hero is not without his head.
By the way, what kind of hero didn't kill a dragon before?!? We need to remedy it immediately.
We are quite the team aren't we? Already killed a dragon like creature in day 1. By day 100 we will be killing Gods.
And here comes the Hunger bonus. As you can see it doesn't matter if you can't or don't want to train. Just go and beat some dudes for their lunch money. Greater the challenge the greater the mon- I mean power.
Nah, this doesn't look like Grimm or Hollows. Nice guess though, genre savvy. I approve.
Love it once again. Reminds of Da Vinci from FGO.
Just get into to the
We spent a LR for her, Accursed said we are compatible and OOC we know her from previous quest. Of course we can trust her.
Second verse same as the first. Look above.
Just no.
Here comes the loot. Second best thing after build votes.
Decent option but don't like the mental contamination. Plus it's the personality of the Tyrants Ancestor. A big maybe from me.
Taking his strength and speed is much better than changing our personality to his. Quite a good option.
Great option. Every hero needs an ultimate attack and we seem to lack one. This fills it perfectly.
It's an Affliction mitigation without increasing the difficulties of future mitigation. This alone makes it great. Food requirements are fine and secondary affect of healing makes it so we will always have the upper hand in equal fights. Then get back to another fight afterwards.
If you can become a dragon, always become a dragon. This option is similarly great. Gain power from sleeping and it isn't affected by Hunger reduction. Grants a small bonus to everything when we sleep well. But it costs 2 Picks.
Massive increase in power, social and mental. Heals us psychologically. Will slow down future growth in Accretion but power begets power and will have a head start on Accretion in the first place. Unless we fuck up I don't think slowed progression would ever matter. Being forever maimed and a shorter blade is just cosmetics. I would eat my hat and bet 100 bucks if our blade length is the decisive factor in our final fight.
AN:
Yeah I am done. Another shameless reaction post.
Supporting Unshattered and Force Unto.
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- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Auspicious Vanguard
[X] Force Unto
Adding a vanguard vote; it has the options I wanted before consolidation but flips to the null resistance. I think I was focusing too much on the Gisena+; Vanguard doesn't come with Gisena- and we'll have more opportunities in the future to get to know Gisena better if we're compatible.
I also kinda like how its power ups aren't as visible or dramatic; we can hide our Progression longer that way while still giving ourselves a better foundation.
[X] Force Unto
Adding a vanguard vote; it has the options I wanted before consolidation but flips to the null resistance. I think I was focusing too much on the Gisena+; Vanguard doesn't come with Gisena- and we'll have more opportunities in the future to get to know Gisena better if we're compatible.
I also kinda like how its power ups aren't as visible or dramatic; we can hide our Progression longer that way while still giving ourselves a better foundation.
Rihaku
The Internet
Update in 1 hour. Here, have a preview:
"Hm? Asking my opinion now? Consultations aren't free, you know," Gisena teased.
He scoffed. "Riding on my back wasn't free either."
"Are you saying you didn't enjoy that?" She giggled. "Well, I think it's a wonderful creation! I'd love to study it. But my realm didn't have anything like this. The technology's mostly a shell, isn't it? An accoutrement of the creature beneath."
"There is power there. Far more than it's shown to us." Briefly he closed his eyes, reaching out instinctively. It reminded him almost of the Tyrant, or his own power at the very height, but greater still. They were mere tributaries compared to the ocean that slept within this beast. Power of enormous scope, but of a tenor that was similar to his own. And yet like him it was diminished, wan shadow of its full potential.
"Think it was holding back?"
"No." He shook his head. "It's injured. Lessened."
"Probably safest just to observe, and see if it does something," Gisena sighed. "How boring."
She turned to him. "So... Got a name?"
He scowled.
"Hm? Asking my opinion now? Consultations aren't free, you know," Gisena teased.
He scoffed. "Riding on my back wasn't free either."
"Are you saying you didn't enjoy that?" She giggled. "Well, I think it's a wonderful creation! I'd love to study it. But my realm didn't have anything like this. The technology's mostly a shell, isn't it? An accoutrement of the creature beneath."
"There is power there. Far more than it's shown to us." Briefly he closed his eyes, reaching out instinctively. It reminded him almost of the Tyrant, or his own power at the very height, but greater still. They were mere tributaries compared to the ocean that slept within this beast. Power of enormous scope, but of a tenor that was similar to his own. And yet like him it was diminished, wan shadow of its full potential.
"Think it was holding back?"
"No." He shook his head. "It's injured. Lessened."
"Probably safest just to observe, and see if it does something," Gisena sighed. "How boring."
She turned to him. "So... Got a name?"
He scowled.
Tributary to Ocean disparity ratio can vary a lot depending on what you slot onto each category, no matter how you slice it though it's still quite a daunting difference.
- Location
- Pindorama
Inb4 the update; sad that I procrastinated on this too long to affect the vote, but exp is exp. 1029 words.
And so we took the abandoned blade and gave it new purpose. Opposing a Tyrant with the blade of his ascendant is a pretty interesting legend, I must admit.
It seems the Hero has a pretty visceral beauty equals danger association. Was it just a result of the improved looks given by sufficient Accretion, or is specifically about the Fae? He doesn't seem to consider one of them helping civilians a ridiculous thought, so maybe they weren't inherently dangerous?
Nullity's bolts seem to disrupt enemy control, so they are definitely not autonomous, but have signals transmitted to them by magical means. The monster likely can't focus much on them given the whole giant robot fight.
The voters however...
I suppose, if you know the healing is magical, going for the head immediately makes the most sense. I suppose given our displayed physical might, she correctly assumed we could climb this thing.
The Hero performs some deduction about this mysterious woman; discovers she has some beautifying power. A natural conclusion, given how Accretion worked in his universe. I'm surprised he didn't extrapolate more similarities; wise, but surprising.
Once we reach the weakpoint, it's quite anticlimactic. It didn't even seem particularly reinforced, though it may have been just too weak to matter. Must have not been prepared against this tactic.
Interesting that the warm glow came from Hunger. Is that how it "multiplies the exp", so to speak?
I guess she isn't wrong, but still.
Someone calling herself a scientist must seem pretty shocking given his previous world and the apparent tech level of this one.
This affinity is pretty spooky, I must say. The Accursed's doing? Or maybe considering the likely inspiration, maybe it's the Apocryphal Curse seeding our downfall or something like that. I'm not one to refuse power when it's offered though, shady as it might seem!
It seems our choice has made the Hero more decisive; harm reduction avails little when the menace still abounds. And now we confirm the wining vote!
Considering the legendary status of the Blade, that fact that the Tyrant did not utilize it himself is very intriguing. The mere fact that it might be due to compatibility issues is already good information, as it suggests that the Tyrant and the Forebear had some pretty fundamental differences, ones the Tyrant was loath to discard. Though, I'm surprised he didn't keep it close to him at all times considering it's power.
And so we took the abandoned blade and gave it new purpose. Opposing a Tyrant with the blade of his ascendant is a pretty interesting legend, I must admit.
If the blade is sufficiently symbolic of his state as to have broken when it did, It makes sense that the Accursed's power wasn't able to restore it. In fact, it may never be restored until we are "whole" again. Or at least, when he considers himself whole, or accepts his new status as a broken man and let it stay like that. The symbolism of the latter doesn't appeal to me much.
Huh, interesting that Huger came from the Tyrant. Would Talon have the same origin, I wonder? It was described in pretty sinister terms. Both items together would incentivize letting "worthy opponents" live so you can advance off their opposition, then slay them at their peak so you gain goodies. A very high risk/reward strategy.
The details of his assassination becomes ever more complex. By now we know he must have seen it coming for quite a while, though we don't know if he tried to resist, or how.
Breaking the sound barrier with his leaps. The people still seem medieval, although they are more prosperous the those in our world. The result of preserving things from their apocalypse? The narration doesn't remark on any advanced weapons however, so they must not have preserved much. Given they were advanced enough to make super-soldier programs, I wonder how much of their science was preserved.
This is a pretty complete weapon if it's meant to be used against cities; attempts to beat it just accelerate the destruction by creating more and more beasts and it can do so for a while given its regeneration. You have to defeat it quickly and decisively, otherwise even if you kill it the city may be lost due to a huge monster swarm. Very troublesome.
Very-EVA like. While they don't have such huge fangs, the moments where the EVA units open their mouths to scream savagely are one of the most iconic parts about them. It seems this mech possess a similarly animalistic nature. The head pauldrons are seen enhancing grappling, but given the Hero noticed its gaze, they likely expand its field of vision as well. Is the ability to fight multiple monsters at once an important design consideration? If so, it implies the original makers were likely heavily outnumbered in whatever conflict this was made for.
How rude, introducing yourself by the way of dangerous energy bolts!
It seems the Hero has a pretty visceral beauty equals danger association. Was it just a result of the improved looks given by sufficient Accretion, or is specifically about the Fae? He doesn't seem to consider one of them helping civilians a ridiculous thought, so maybe they weren't inherently dangerous?
Even in this situation, the Hero remains suspicious. Given the treachery he suffered, can't say I blame him.
Nullity's bolts seem to disrupt enemy control, so they are definitely not autonomous, but have signals transmitted to them by magical means. The monster likely can't focus much on them given the whole giant robot fight.
Ah, Gisena, it's so like you to start flirting in the most inappropriate situations. But the Hero's heart is too loyal to just surrender himself to some thot!
The voters however...
Man, she's relentless.
I suppose, if you know the healing is magical, going for the head immediately makes the most sense. I suppose given our displayed physical might, she correctly assumed we could climb this thing.
Flirting even while performing a highly dangerous maneuver; she's fully internalized the YOLO principle, huh?
The Hero performs some deduction about this mysterious woman; discovers she has some beautifying power. A natural conclusion, given how Accretion worked in his universe. I'm surprised he didn't extrapolate more similarities; wise, but surprising.
It's good to see that the Hero retains at least some humor for his condition. This could have easily been an angst-filled lamentation, but he mostly seems low-key exited at this new opportunity.
Quite Shadow of the Colossus, I must say. Ruin plus Nullity's efforts seem to have done a number on his regeneration and prevented the spawning of beasts, which assume would normally impede a tactic like this.
Once we reach the weakpoint, it's quite anticlimactic. It didn't even seem particularly reinforced, though it may have been just too weak to matter. Must have not been prepared against this tactic.
This is your future now Hero; killing and growing strong.
Interesting that the warm glow came from Hunger. Is that how it "multiplies the exp", so to speak?
I agree that's pretty interesting. Building a monster of this scale seems like a monumental task for a civilization in the medieval stage; so probably a remnant of past ages. It seems way less advanced than whatever the Devourer is, so maybe it was built at a later date when then already had started to degrade? Or maybe not all polities are medieval level.
What a humble introduction.
I guess she isn't wrong, but still.Someone calling herself a scientist must seem pretty shocking given his previous world and the apparent tech level of this one.
The steam is a very Attack on Titan touch; makes it more imposing against a back drop.
This affinity is pretty spooky, I must say. The Accursed's doing? Or maybe considering the likely inspiration, maybe it's the Apocryphal Curse seeding our downfall or something like that. I'm not one to refuse power when it's offered though, shady as it might seem!
The Furthermost Reaches
Rihaku
The Internet
The Furthermost Reaches
"Hm? Asking my opinion now? Consultations aren't free, you know," Gisena teased.
He scoffed. "Riding on my back isn't free either."
"Are you saying you didn't enjoy that?" She giggled. "Well, I think it's a wonderful creation! I'd love to study it. But my realm didn't have anything like this. The technology's mostly a shell, isn't it? An accoutrement of the creature beneath."
"There is power there. Far more than it's shown to us." Briefly he closed his eyes, reaching out with his instincts. It reminded him almost of the Tyrant, or of his own power at the very height, but much greater. Even the Tyrant was a mere tributary compared to the ocean that slept within this beast. Power of enormous scope, but of a tenor that was similar to his own. And yet like him it was diminished, wan shadow of its full potential. Not dammed, but run dry. And yet it would not take so terribly much for the deluge to come again.
"Think it was holding back?" Gisena snapped him from his thoughts.
"No." He shook his head. "It's injured. Lessened."
"Probably safest just to observe and see if it does something," the Sorceress sighed. "How boring."
She turned to him. "So... Got a name?"
He scowled.
Gisena pouted. "I did tell you mine, you know. Noble title and all! That's valuable tactical intelligence."
A name. He'd sacrificed his name, and claiming another at this juncture would just see it slip from his mind. But he needed something for others to call him, that was true enough. He looked down at his hand and the blade that it held. A pseudonym would hold, if it was memorable. Something practical. And yet even a pseudonym held power. Properly chosen, it could bind his objects more strongly to him, or establish that he was separate from them.
Something easy to recall. Something as familiar to him as the back of his hand.
"Hunger. Technically I'm a City Lord, but they've likely had me deposed."
As he spoke, he felt the essence of the ring shift, become his in full, interlacing its nature with his own. Now, like a ring of power, he would only grow mightier and more cunning with time. Age would have no purchase upon him, and even the Tyrant's curse that had stolen his youth would be reversed and superseded. He hoped that taking this name would also bind the Decimator's Affliction, allowing him to exert some measure of control over it. That would be a priority in the near future.
"Hunger?" Gisena said brightly. "Hm... Lord Hunger. I like it. It's only a little pretentious."
"More than a little. Don't be polite."
"Arrogant and a liar too! Why do I put up with you?"
"I'm a noble. It's to be expected."
"Well, at least he's self-aware."
"Keep talking to yourself. It's better that way."
"Oh? Already in love with the sound of my voice?"
"A-ahem!" A voice boomed from the direction of the giant. "If you two are done flirting, we have important matters to take care of!"
It was a girl's voice, clear and high, but somewhat stilted, as if forcing herself to sound authoritative.
"Sorry, we're not!" Gisena answered cheerfully.
"Huh?"
"We're not done flirting. Isn't that what you asked? So, mind waiting a bit longer?"
"Ah! Um..."
"Speak for yourself," he grunted, turning to address the giant. "Are you the pilot of that creature? What's your business?"
"Thank you, my lord. Yes, I am. I'd like to come out and speak to you face-to-face. Will you give your word not to attack my person?"
"I won't attack unprovoked. Do as you please."
Steam hissed from countless apertures as the giant's head and chest moved forward, revealing its internals. A dizzying array of runes and glyphs coated every inch of its bio-mechanical interior, faintly emitting the pale, cold blue of a winter sky. Within was a capsule, which hissed open to reveal a young lady in a pale military jacket with accents of gold. Lean and long of limb, she had delicate, fine-boned features and eyes a shade lighter than Gisena's blue. A long shock of hair trailed nearly to her waist, white in color but with all the luster and texture of youth. She looked to be in her late teens or early twenties. In the fingers of her right hand she held a small text, a manual of some kind.
Emerging from the capsule, she hopped up, landing neatly on the giant's shoulder, leaning forward on one heavy boot.
"Ah!!" Gisena clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling. She leaned over to whisper in his ear. "She's so cute! Can we keep her, hun? Please?"
"Do not call me that. And she's not your pet."
"Then, what should I call milord? 'Huney' has a certain ring to it... "
"Just Hunger is fine."
"What's this, a nobleman claiming to be just?"
"As you said. I'm a liar."
"You said you had business," he called to the girl, before Gisena could interject again.
The girl nodded, stealing a glance at her manual before speaking. "You're outsiders, right? Come in through an Astral Rift? We're lucky we found each other. This place has certain properties making it difficult to navigate. Most outsiders who arrive here either die or are never seen from again, but my Armament," she gestured at the giant, "can bring us to civilization."
"Okay. I'm listening."
"Well..." the girl frowned. "It's a lot to explain. Since we all look human and are even speaking English, I'm going to assume you're from a world with similar ontological parameters..."
"Hm." He had assumed the Accursed had given him a translation function.
Gisena perked up. "In my realm it's called Angletierre, but I've been speaking it because everyone else has. My native language is actually Joanian."
He raised an eyebrow. That wasn't easy. "You have no accent. Impressive."
"Of course! I am a genius, after all."
"Anyway!" The pilot said, "The place we're currently trapped is named the Voyaging Realm. We believe it's an artificial universe created by an ancient species who called themselves the Foremost. It's contained by an outer ring the size of a gas giant, with the space inside heavily spun, folded, and distorted. It's constantly shifting and some parts are dangerous. A small portion of the Realm is unaffected and humans have built a city and spaceport there. That's where I'm trying to go." She showed them a picture from her manual, depicting a highly advanced metropolis with towers of steel and glass, over which loomed a small flotilla of angular ships. If this was accurate, these people were far beyond the Earth of his time.
"Since my Armament is so badly weakened, I'd like your help making it there. In return you'll reach civilization and my government will probably pay you a hefty sum as well. If you're interested, we could even arrange longer-term employment. Rift outsiders with unique skills are always welcome. Any questions?"
"I don't work well with others," he said, "I'm happy to kill things for money, but I won't act under your chain of command. If that's fine, I've got a few more questions."
She nodded.
But Gisena interrupted, practically vibrating with excitement. "What incredible technology! Flying ships! Cities that scrape the sky! This day has turned out far better than I thought. When I opened that Void I expected only death, not to be sent to another world out of my wildest dreams!"
"Oh?" The girl cocked her head. "How did you two get here, if you don't mind my asking?"
"I used my powers to tear a hole through reality," Gisena explained. "I didn't think it would work, and almost burned out that Grace. I was trying to assassinate the.... hero of my world for murdering my sisters. It didn't go so well, so I had to run."
"You're quite brave, Miss Gisena!" said the pilot. "And you, milord?" She turned to him.
He frowned. "I was the hero of my world and assassinated after I slew the Tyrant."
Gisena beamed, wrapping her arms around his left. "We're a perfect pair!"
He shrugged her off. "This is the third dimension I've stumbled into. My home was a planet called Earth. We had a technological civilization, planes and satellites, but nothing truly interstellar. Tell me about your society. What volume of space do you occupy? How many stars do you control?"
"Well, it's complicated," the pilot temporized. "The Human Sphere encompasses about ten thousand inhabited worlds, and includes another twenty thousand uninhabited systems used for resource extraction. The Realm we're standing in technically isn't a part of it, aside from our spaceport and city. The Sphere is divided into three polities, and the nation I'm from controls about twenty-seven hundred stars. But, I actually work for a jointly-funded agency supported by all three nations, so... like I said, it's complicated. It's not really relevant, none of the states has much power here!"
"Fine. You mentioned a number of other hazards. Creatures like this dragon? Are they related to these Astral Rifts? Any strategic or tactical information we should be aware of?"
"Y-yes. How to explain this..." She mused, tapping her lip with a gloved finger. "So, your home world, you said you weren't interstellar. Were you bound by the speed of light?"
"We knew about it. We didn't have ships nearly that fast."
"Neither do we, really. Long-distance travel is mostly conducted with Astral technology, either supplementing our movements or tunneling directly into the Astral Realm. Doing this destabilizes the gradient between realities, sometimes creating rifts through which Astral denizens sometimes attack us. They're especially attracted to Armaments, which can forcibly re-stabilize that gradient in a large radius. Mine is so weakened that its beacon isn't strong, so we shouldn't have to deal with anything too serious, but the Voyaging Realm also has a natural rate of rift incidence. That's where you guys came from."
She hesitated, then continued to speak. "Any Astral denizens that appear from those in our vicinity are going to attack my Armament. The... dragon you fought was one. Additionally, there are some unusual creatures and societies in this Realm that are hostile to humans. Most of the creatures we encounter shouldn't be too terribly stronger than the dragon you killed. So, it'd really be safest if we traveled together! Especially if we could restore my Armament, even a little bit."
"So. We're trapped in a pocket universe that's immeasurably vast, within which space shifts so that locations don't correspond to each other. It's partially inhabited by monsters, and Astral Rifts occasionally deposit more monsters, which will automatically attack if you're in the vicinity."
She nodded. "That's right."
"So how can your 'Armament' navigate this place?"
She swallowed. "G-good question! Most Armaments are Foremost technology, mine included. There's an inbuilt navigational system for Foremost realms. I estimate it'll take us about t-two months to reach the city's staging grounds, give or take two weeks."
As far as he could tell, she was mostly sincere, though her time estimate was likely more certain than she felt. And if she wasn't lying, it would be difficult to escape this Realm alone.
He glanced over at Gisena.
"Oh? Do I get a say in this, milord?"
"No. I'm just looking at you for no reason."
"I do have that effect on people. And I'd love to go. So much technology to explore, it'll be exciting!"
He turned to the pilot. "Then we're in."
"Great!" She curtseyed neatly before them. "Duchess Letrizia von Artriez, pilot of the Devouring Armament, Verschlengorge. We'll be in your care."
Gisena elegantly returned the curtsey with one of her own. "Pleased to meet you, Zea! We're going to be best friends. Now tell me... what's a 'planet?' By what principle are they organized into 'star systems?' And what's that to do with the speed of light?"
"M-Miss Gisena, one at a time, please!"
---
As you have taken Nightmare Praetor, the hero has chosen the mechanically optimal pseudonym of Hunger, Lord Hunger to those who acknowledge his title. Slightly increases advancement rate from Hunger. Grants opportunities for mitigation of the Decimator's Affliction in the future.
[ ] On Second Thought... - You're fairly certain that sufficient Rank would allow you to navigate this place easily on your own, and partnering with a giant, mostly useless target that attracts monsters is just begging for the Apocryphal Curse to put all of you in peril. Not worth it for a nebulous payment from her government that's only 'probably' going to occur. Best for you and Gisena both to encounter their civilization on your own terms, when you are stronger.
*Probably safer
*There should be plenty for you to explore around here
*You're still not sure why Verschlengorge has such an affinity for you.
[ ] Plan Your Trip - Choose 3 options below.
Letrizia has supplies and advanced camping materials in her Armament, though you could probably live off the land.
[ ] Speak with Gisena I - Learn more about the Nullity Sorceress. The circumstances of your mutual arrival are suspicious. Inform her of your Curses and see if she can help. +Gisena
[ ] Speak with Gisena II - Speak on personal matters. Additional ++Gisena. Requires Speak With Gisena I.
[ ] Speak with Letrizia I - The girl seems fairly intimidated by you. Perhaps you came off as harsh. Put her at ease. +Letrizia.
[ ] Speak with Letrizia II - Explain the matter of your affinity with Verschlengorge. Perhaps she has some insight? Req. Speak with Letrizia I. Additional ++Letrizia, ?
[ ] Errantry - Perform various tasks for the people you encounter within the Voyaging Realm so as to more effectively forge your legend. Slowly increases Accretion Rank.
[ ] Errantry II - Perform more demanding, dangerous and time-consuming tasks. Increases Accretion Rank at a considerably faster clip. Risky. Requires Errantry.
[ ] Learn to Pilot - As you are bound to the Ring Hunger, your learning speed outside battle is slightly worse than an average mortal's. The intricacies of the Armament are easy to learn, difficult to master, and many functions are incomplete or unavailable due to its state. Still, there is time enough for the fundamentals of movement.
[ ] Commune with Verschlengorge - There is something here, something of great import, though you feel little sense of urgency... Req. Learn to Pilot.
[ ] Sleep Heavily - By default you will sleep 9 hours a day. Sleeping more increases the (at this time, fairly small) benefits accumulating from Might's Repose over time.
[ ] The Name of the Curse - Attempt to exert some measure of control over the Decimator's Affliction, by the combined power of yourself and your Ring.
[ ] Seek out Artifacts - With wandering monsters and strange civilizations come objects of power, everyone knows that! And bereft of your armor, you could use a third object to complete your panoply. In theory any object can do, but a formidable artifact would grant greater bonuses. Not guaranteed to succeed.
[ ] Seek Worthy Opponents - Actively pursue rumors of powerful monsters & the like. Hunt them down to advance your Progression. +Stats. Risky.
And now for the most important part of the vote. What to call Letrizia?
Req. Speak with Letrizia I
[ ] Letrizia
[ ] Zia
[ ] Zea
[ ] Zee
"Hm? Asking my opinion now? Consultations aren't free, you know," Gisena teased.
He scoffed. "Riding on my back isn't free either."
"Are you saying you didn't enjoy that?" She giggled. "Well, I think it's a wonderful creation! I'd love to study it. But my realm didn't have anything like this. The technology's mostly a shell, isn't it? An accoutrement of the creature beneath."
"There is power there. Far more than it's shown to us." Briefly he closed his eyes, reaching out with his instincts. It reminded him almost of the Tyrant, or of his own power at the very height, but much greater. Even the Tyrant was a mere tributary compared to the ocean that slept within this beast. Power of enormous scope, but of a tenor that was similar to his own. And yet like him it was diminished, wan shadow of its full potential. Not dammed, but run dry. And yet it would not take so terribly much for the deluge to come again.
"Think it was holding back?" Gisena snapped him from his thoughts.
"No." He shook his head. "It's injured. Lessened."
"Probably safest just to observe and see if it does something," the Sorceress sighed. "How boring."
She turned to him. "So... Got a name?"
He scowled.
Gisena pouted. "I did tell you mine, you know. Noble title and all! That's valuable tactical intelligence."
A name. He'd sacrificed his name, and claiming another at this juncture would just see it slip from his mind. But he needed something for others to call him, that was true enough. He looked down at his hand and the blade that it held. A pseudonym would hold, if it was memorable. Something practical. And yet even a pseudonym held power. Properly chosen, it could bind his objects more strongly to him, or establish that he was separate from them.
Something easy to recall. Something as familiar to him as the back of his hand.
"Hunger. Technically I'm a City Lord, but they've likely had me deposed."
As he spoke, he felt the essence of the ring shift, become his in full, interlacing its nature with his own. Now, like a ring of power, he would only grow mightier and more cunning with time. Age would have no purchase upon him, and even the Tyrant's curse that had stolen his youth would be reversed and superseded. He hoped that taking this name would also bind the Decimator's Affliction, allowing him to exert some measure of control over it. That would be a priority in the near future.
"Hunger?" Gisena said brightly. "Hm... Lord Hunger. I like it. It's only a little pretentious."
"More than a little. Don't be polite."
"Arrogant and a liar too! Why do I put up with you?"
"I'm a noble. It's to be expected."
"Well, at least he's self-aware."
"Keep talking to yourself. It's better that way."
"Oh? Already in love with the sound of my voice?"
"A-ahem!" A voice boomed from the direction of the giant. "If you two are done flirting, we have important matters to take care of!"
It was a girl's voice, clear and high, but somewhat stilted, as if forcing herself to sound authoritative.
"Sorry, we're not!" Gisena answered cheerfully.
"Huh?"
"We're not done flirting. Isn't that what you asked? So, mind waiting a bit longer?"
"Ah! Um..."
"Speak for yourself," he grunted, turning to address the giant. "Are you the pilot of that creature? What's your business?"
"Thank you, my lord. Yes, I am. I'd like to come out and speak to you face-to-face. Will you give your word not to attack my person?"
"I won't attack unprovoked. Do as you please."
Steam hissed from countless apertures as the giant's head and chest moved forward, revealing its internals. A dizzying array of runes and glyphs coated every inch of its bio-mechanical interior, faintly emitting the pale, cold blue of a winter sky. Within was a capsule, which hissed open to reveal a young lady in a pale military jacket with accents of gold. Lean and long of limb, she had delicate, fine-boned features and eyes a shade lighter than Gisena's blue. A long shock of hair trailed nearly to her waist, white in color but with all the luster and texture of youth. She looked to be in her late teens or early twenties. In the fingers of her right hand she held a small text, a manual of some kind.
Emerging from the capsule, she hopped up, landing neatly on the giant's shoulder, leaning forward on one heavy boot.
"Ah!!" Gisena clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling. She leaned over to whisper in his ear. "She's so cute! Can we keep her, hun? Please?"
"Do not call me that. And she's not your pet."
"Then, what should I call milord? 'Huney' has a certain ring to it... "
"Just Hunger is fine."
"What's this, a nobleman claiming to be just?"
"As you said. I'm a liar."
"You said you had business," he called to the girl, before Gisena could interject again.
The girl nodded, stealing a glance at her manual before speaking. "You're outsiders, right? Come in through an Astral Rift? We're lucky we found each other. This place has certain properties making it difficult to navigate. Most outsiders who arrive here either die or are never seen from again, but my Armament," she gestured at the giant, "can bring us to civilization."
"Okay. I'm listening."
"Well..." the girl frowned. "It's a lot to explain. Since we all look human and are even speaking English, I'm going to assume you're from a world with similar ontological parameters..."
"Hm." He had assumed the Accursed had given him a translation function.
Gisena perked up. "In my realm it's called Angletierre, but I've been speaking it because everyone else has. My native language is actually Joanian."
He raised an eyebrow. That wasn't easy. "You have no accent. Impressive."
"Of course! I am a genius, after all."
"Anyway!" The pilot said, "The place we're currently trapped is named the Voyaging Realm. We believe it's an artificial universe created by an ancient species who called themselves the Foremost. It's contained by an outer ring the size of a gas giant, with the space inside heavily spun, folded, and distorted. It's constantly shifting and some parts are dangerous. A small portion of the Realm is unaffected and humans have built a city and spaceport there. That's where I'm trying to go." She showed them a picture from her manual, depicting a highly advanced metropolis with towers of steel and glass, over which loomed a small flotilla of angular ships. If this was accurate, these people were far beyond the Earth of his time.
"Since my Armament is so badly weakened, I'd like your help making it there. In return you'll reach civilization and my government will probably pay you a hefty sum as well. If you're interested, we could even arrange longer-term employment. Rift outsiders with unique skills are always welcome. Any questions?"
"I don't work well with others," he said, "I'm happy to kill things for money, but I won't act under your chain of command. If that's fine, I've got a few more questions."
She nodded.
But Gisena interrupted, practically vibrating with excitement. "What incredible technology! Flying ships! Cities that scrape the sky! This day has turned out far better than I thought. When I opened that Void I expected only death, not to be sent to another world out of my wildest dreams!"
"Oh?" The girl cocked her head. "How did you two get here, if you don't mind my asking?"
"I used my powers to tear a hole through reality," Gisena explained. "I didn't think it would work, and almost burned out that Grace. I was trying to assassinate the.... hero of my world for murdering my sisters. It didn't go so well, so I had to run."
"You're quite brave, Miss Gisena!" said the pilot. "And you, milord?" She turned to him.
He frowned. "I was the hero of my world and assassinated after I slew the Tyrant."
Gisena beamed, wrapping her arms around his left. "We're a perfect pair!"
He shrugged her off. "This is the third dimension I've stumbled into. My home was a planet called Earth. We had a technological civilization, planes and satellites, but nothing truly interstellar. Tell me about your society. What volume of space do you occupy? How many stars do you control?"
"Well, it's complicated," the pilot temporized. "The Human Sphere encompasses about ten thousand inhabited worlds, and includes another twenty thousand uninhabited systems used for resource extraction. The Realm we're standing in technically isn't a part of it, aside from our spaceport and city. The Sphere is divided into three polities, and the nation I'm from controls about twenty-seven hundred stars. But, I actually work for a jointly-funded agency supported by all three nations, so... like I said, it's complicated. It's not really relevant, none of the states has much power here!"
"Fine. You mentioned a number of other hazards. Creatures like this dragon? Are they related to these Astral Rifts? Any strategic or tactical information we should be aware of?"
"Y-yes. How to explain this..." She mused, tapping her lip with a gloved finger. "So, your home world, you said you weren't interstellar. Were you bound by the speed of light?"
"We knew about it. We didn't have ships nearly that fast."
"Neither do we, really. Long-distance travel is mostly conducted with Astral technology, either supplementing our movements or tunneling directly into the Astral Realm. Doing this destabilizes the gradient between realities, sometimes creating rifts through which Astral denizens sometimes attack us. They're especially attracted to Armaments, which can forcibly re-stabilize that gradient in a large radius. Mine is so weakened that its beacon isn't strong, so we shouldn't have to deal with anything too serious, but the Voyaging Realm also has a natural rate of rift incidence. That's where you guys came from."
She hesitated, then continued to speak. "Any Astral denizens that appear from those in our vicinity are going to attack my Armament. The... dragon you fought was one. Additionally, there are some unusual creatures and societies in this Realm that are hostile to humans. Most of the creatures we encounter shouldn't be too terribly stronger than the dragon you killed. So, it'd really be safest if we traveled together! Especially if we could restore my Armament, even a little bit."
"So. We're trapped in a pocket universe that's immeasurably vast, within which space shifts so that locations don't correspond to each other. It's partially inhabited by monsters, and Astral Rifts occasionally deposit more monsters, which will automatically attack if you're in the vicinity."
She nodded. "That's right."
"So how can your 'Armament' navigate this place?"
She swallowed. "G-good question! Most Armaments are Foremost technology, mine included. There's an inbuilt navigational system for Foremost realms. I estimate it'll take us about t-two months to reach the city's staging grounds, give or take two weeks."
As far as he could tell, she was mostly sincere, though her time estimate was likely more certain than she felt. And if she wasn't lying, it would be difficult to escape this Realm alone.
He glanced over at Gisena.
"Oh? Do I get a say in this, milord?"
"No. I'm just looking at you for no reason."
"I do have that effect on people. And I'd love to go. So much technology to explore, it'll be exciting!"
He turned to the pilot. "Then we're in."
"Great!" She curtseyed neatly before them. "Duchess Letrizia von Artriez, pilot of the Devouring Armament, Verschlengorge. We'll be in your care."
Gisena elegantly returned the curtsey with one of her own. "Pleased to meet you, Zea! We're going to be best friends. Now tell me... what's a 'planet?' By what principle are they organized into 'star systems?' And what's that to do with the speed of light?"
"M-Miss Gisena, one at a time, please!"
---
As you have taken Nightmare Praetor, the hero has chosen the mechanically optimal pseudonym of Hunger, Lord Hunger to those who acknowledge his title. Slightly increases advancement rate from Hunger. Grants opportunities for mitigation of the Decimator's Affliction in the future.
[ ] On Second Thought... - You're fairly certain that sufficient Rank would allow you to navigate this place easily on your own, and partnering with a giant, mostly useless target that attracts monsters is just begging for the Apocryphal Curse to put all of you in peril. Not worth it for a nebulous payment from her government that's only 'probably' going to occur. Best for you and Gisena both to encounter their civilization on your own terms, when you are stronger.
*Probably safer
*There should be plenty for you to explore around here
*You're still not sure why Verschlengorge has such an affinity for you.
[ ] Plan Your Trip - Choose 3 options below.
Letrizia has supplies and advanced camping materials in her Armament, though you could probably live off the land.
[ ] Speak with Gisena I - Learn more about the Nullity Sorceress. The circumstances of your mutual arrival are suspicious. Inform her of your Curses and see if she can help. +Gisena
[ ] Speak with Gisena II - Speak on personal matters. Additional ++Gisena. Requires Speak With Gisena I.
[ ] Speak with Letrizia I - The girl seems fairly intimidated by you. Perhaps you came off as harsh. Put her at ease. +Letrizia.
[ ] Speak with Letrizia II - Explain the matter of your affinity with Verschlengorge. Perhaps she has some insight? Req. Speak with Letrizia I. Additional ++Letrizia, ?
[ ] Errantry - Perform various tasks for the people you encounter within the Voyaging Realm so as to more effectively forge your legend. Slowly increases Accretion Rank.
[ ] Errantry II - Perform more demanding, dangerous and time-consuming tasks. Increases Accretion Rank at a considerably faster clip. Risky. Requires Errantry.
[ ] Learn to Pilot - As you are bound to the Ring Hunger, your learning speed outside battle is slightly worse than an average mortal's. The intricacies of the Armament are easy to learn, difficult to master, and many functions are incomplete or unavailable due to its state. Still, there is time enough for the fundamentals of movement.
[ ] Commune with Verschlengorge - There is something here, something of great import, though you feel little sense of urgency... Req. Learn to Pilot.
[ ] Sleep Heavily - By default you will sleep 9 hours a day. Sleeping more increases the (at this time, fairly small) benefits accumulating from Might's Repose over time.
[ ] The Name of the Curse - Attempt to exert some measure of control over the Decimator's Affliction, by the combined power of yourself and your Ring.
[ ] Seek out Artifacts - With wandering monsters and strange civilizations come objects of power, everyone knows that! And bereft of your armor, you could use a third object to complete your panoply. In theory any object can do, but a formidable artifact would grant greater bonuses. Not guaranteed to succeed.
[ ] Seek Worthy Opponents - Actively pursue rumors of powerful monsters & the like. Hunt them down to advance your Progression. +Stats. Risky.
And now for the most important part of the vote. What to call Letrizia?
Req. Speak with Letrizia I
[ ] Letrizia
[ ] Zia
[ ] Zea
[ ] Zee
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PSA: Signatures
Rihaku
The Internet
Would you like to sell out your signatures for power? Then I've got a simple transaction for you. Within the next few updates I'll introduce the mechanics for advancement, including the two progression resources Experience and Arete. The latter is the equivalent of Beyond Points from Even Further Beyond, at a rate of ~2.2 Arete = 1 Beyond Point.
You may receive .05 Arete per month for advertising this quest in your signature, or .1 Arete per month if you post a lot in threads other than this one. Indicate which type you are applying for when you make your post. We are on the honor system here but it's pretty easy to check posting history. If someone volunteers to aggregate these and keep signature counts updated, I'll double their personal Arete per month from this source.
Fanworks, thread participation (posts, likes, etc) and the like will grant Experience or Arete as well, with a bonus for misc discussions unrelated to the current vote.
You may receive .05 Arete per month for advertising this quest in your signature, or .1 Arete per month if you post a lot in threads other than this one. Indicate which type you are applying for when you make your post. We are on the honor system here but it's pretty easy to check posting history. If someone volunteers to aggregate these and keep signature counts updated, I'll double their personal Arete per month from this source.
Fanworks, thread participation (posts, likes, etc) and the like will grant Experience or Arete as well, with a bonus for misc discussions unrelated to the current vote.
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TwistedJester
Tired Lurker King
- Location
- Hell
We just met her and we're already giving her a nickname?!
Also just sold my signature for power. My purity has decreased so far that I fear that becoming a Cursebearer for less than 10 Curses would be a fool's dream.
Edit: For the former, I don't post enough for the latter.
Also just sold my signature for power. My purity has decreased so far that I fear that becoming a Cursebearer for less than 10 Curses would be a fool's dream.
Edit: For the former, I don't post enough for the latter.
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[ ] Plan Your Trip
We chose against murderhoboism so this seems the natural pick.
[ ] Speak with Gisena I - Learn more about the Nullity Sorceress. The circumstances of your mutual arrival are suspicious. Inform her of your Curses and see if she can help. +Gisena
[ ] Speak with Letrizia I - The girl seems fairly intimidated by you. Perhaps you came off as harsh. Put her at ease. +Letrizia.
Need to commit to the course, no matter the pain.
[ ] The Name of the Curse
I'd like to see how this works, artifacts or opponents might be okay but not that suitable unless we manage some decent intel first which is tough in this realm.
We chose against murderhoboism so this seems the natural pick.
[ ] Speak with Gisena I - Learn more about the Nullity Sorceress. The circumstances of your mutual arrival are suspicious. Inform her of your Curses and see if she can help. +Gisena
[ ] Speak with Letrizia I - The girl seems fairly intimidated by you. Perhaps you came off as harsh. Put her at ease. +Letrizia.
Need to commit to the course, no matter the pain.
[ ] The Name of the Curse
I'd like to see how this works, artifacts or opponents might be okay but not that suitable unless we manage some decent intel first which is tough in this realm.
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Rihaku
The Internet
"You needed worthy opponents."
"...I know. Isn't that why we're fighting?"
"..."
You can't actually take that multiple times, though Errantry II + Seek is close!
Rihaku
The Internet
You have to fight Kaiju (and others) if guarding Letrizia anyway!
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Plan Your Trip
[X] Speak with Gisena I
[X] Speak with Gisena II
[X] Speak with Letrizia I
[X] Letrizia
Letrizia is a really pretty name! Not in the market for a waifu though haha
We've fortunately dodged Doom of the Tyrant problems, so I think we need to seize this opportunity to forge closer connections so we'll have good intros into society down the line. I think we'll have plenty of time and opportunities for the other tasks. Repose is a patient build, so we should be patient.
[X] Speak with Gisena I
[X] Speak with Gisena II
[X] Speak with Letrizia I
[X] Letrizia
Letrizia is a really pretty name! Not in the market for a waifu though haha
We've fortunately dodged Doom of the Tyrant problems, so I think we need to seize this opportunity to forge closer connections so we'll have good intros into society down the line. I think we'll have plenty of time and opportunities for the other tasks. Repose is a patient build, so we should be patient.
Aabcehmu
Confusion as a Natural State of Being
- Location
- Aurora, CO
- Pronouns
- Any/All
I'm signing up for a Tier-1 Signature (0.05 Arete/Month), and I've created a ledger in google sheets which I can send you a link to in a DM.
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Talace
It must be raining somewhere else!
You've convinced me.
[X] Errantry
[X] Errantry II
[X] Seek Worthy Opponents
i fight because i want fight scene
Seriously, no Letty? we get three variations of Z but no lazy english version? Criminal!
Also I think if I leave Plan your Trip in it messes up the vote?
[X] Plan - Portion Control
-[X] Speak with Gisena I
-[X] The Name of the Curse
-[X] Seek out Artifacts
Abstaining from the tragic Z choices, alongside the humiliating lack of a nickname.
My plan rationale is to get a grip on the decimation, simultaneous to explaining it to Gisena. I think it's a much easier sell when we're making an attempt to work on it.
This may be a bit early to fuss with the curse from an optimization standpoint, particularly as I'm forgoing the consistent gains of the hunting options. I'm thinking we need to start immediately on mitigating the curse, since Letty's people seem capable of identifying it as a problem. It's also nice to kill less people I suppose, but that isn't a very heartless concern.
I'm tossing in a search for artifacts, because three is a great number, we lack defensive options, and I want to have at least one option that encourages a bit of ranging about and scouting this strange world. Accretion needs time, consistency, and something worthy of a legend. I'd like to see if we can find two out of three here by getting that third item early.
Obviously, I'm approaching this from a perspective of confidence in Hunger's current strength. The wyrm wasn't called out as particularly pathetic, nor was it notably nasty. I'm inclined to believe we can handle encounters with similar beasts, and perhaps even something a bit stronger.
Letty's civilization is daunting, and Hunger has got his work cut out for him. I'm tempted to put a slot in for chatting with her, just to learn more. On the other hand, I'm not particularly interested in sinking two actions into working with Verschlengorge, I don't want to meet anyone's dead mom or learn about spiral hunger powers right now. To be more clear, I consider the thing a dormant threat. Let's leave it alone for now.
There is of course a place for grinding as well. I'm not actually sure whether the benefits of Thieve's charisma and intellect apply more effectively to tactics and optimized harvests, or to handling our compatriots and searching for treasures. We'll see.
edit: fixed bold and gimmie the basic signature package, please.
Also I think if I leave Plan your Trip in it messes up the vote?
[X] Plan - Portion Control
-[X] Speak with Gisena I
-[X] The Name of the Curse
-[X] Seek out Artifacts
Abstaining from the tragic Z choices, alongside the humiliating lack of a nickname.
My plan rationale is to get a grip on the decimation, simultaneous to explaining it to Gisena. I think it's a much easier sell when we're making an attempt to work on it.
This may be a bit early to fuss with the curse from an optimization standpoint, particularly as I'm forgoing the consistent gains of the hunting options. I'm thinking we need to start immediately on mitigating the curse, since Letty's people seem capable of identifying it as a problem. It's also nice to kill less people I suppose, but that isn't a very heartless concern.
I'm tossing in a search for artifacts, because three is a great number, we lack defensive options, and I want to have at least one option that encourages a bit of ranging about and scouting this strange world. Accretion needs time, consistency, and something worthy of a legend. I'd like to see if we can find two out of three here by getting that third item early.
Obviously, I'm approaching this from a perspective of confidence in Hunger's current strength. The wyrm wasn't called out as particularly pathetic, nor was it notably nasty. I'm inclined to believe we can handle encounters with similar beasts, and perhaps even something a bit stronger.
Letty's civilization is daunting, and Hunger has got his work cut out for him. I'm tempted to put a slot in for chatting with her, just to learn more. On the other hand, I'm not particularly interested in sinking two actions into working with Verschlengorge, I don't want to meet anyone's dead mom or learn about spiral hunger powers right now. To be more clear, I consider the thing a dormant threat. Let's leave it alone for now.
There is of course a place for grinding as well. I'm not actually sure whether the benefits of Thieve's charisma and intellect apply more effectively to tactics and optimized harvests, or to handling our compatriots and searching for treasures. We'll see.
edit: fixed bold and gimmie the basic signature package, please.
- Location
- Space
Oh wow, that is a bigger decrease to noncombat learning than I was expecting. Good for raw power still, but that really cuts into our utility.