I'm curious - what makes you think Cut Through will be any better?
In short, if you think Ruling Ring will always lose, you have no reason to vote for Cut Through. It's even less likely to win.
I indicated my reasons before; I believe Ruling Ring lost because of Ringwar danger mostly, and secondarily, the fact that most argumentation for it focused on the ++Progression effect, mostly neglecting the fact that is a superior omni-aspect version of the Blood ring. And even effects of the Blood Ring get consistently downplayed by people, even if it keeps pulling its weight in every fight.

And oh, yeah, there also was that "we are going to die if we do not pick immediate power" thing, which proved to be false and fucked our future plans, but who cares lol.

I believe that arguing for combination of immediate and potential power with no downsides beyond that included in Uttermost is far more viable than getting smacked with the "b-but the ringwar tho" every time we try going for it. Eventually, we are going to be strong enough that maybe we'll overcome that block. Eventually is likely to never come if we continue playing the same game.
 
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I indicated my reasons before; I believe Ruling Ring lost because of Ringwar danger mostly, and secondarily, the fact that most argumentation for it focused on the ++Progression effect, mostly neglecting the fact that is a superior omni-aspect version of the Blood ring. And even effects of the Blood Ring get consistently downplayed by people, even if it keeps pulling its weight in every fight.

I believe that arguing for combination of immediate and potential power with no downsides beyond that included in Uttermost is far more viable than getting smacked with the "b-but the ringwar tho" every time we try going for it. Eventually, we are going to be strong enough that maybe we'll overcome that block. Eventually is likely to never come if we continue playing the same game.

...As far as I can tell, no one voted against Heedless War because of Ringwar concerns. They were all worried about the fact that Heedless War was explicitly called out by the QM as being Greedy, when we were in a dangerous situation and couldn't afford greed. I'm not sure where you got the idea that Ruling Ring lost because of concerns about some kind of "Ringwar." Are you referring to the contest of Primacy maybe? I feel like that was mostly a secondary concern compared to "We need to not be greedy."

I'll tell you this much: I'd literally never chose Cut Through if Ruling Ring was an option. I know for a fact that there are others who feel the same. If you try to push Cut Through in future votes you're going to run headlong into people that say "No, let's get Ring instead."

But this discussion is pointless. If you're convinced that your own theory about why Heedless War lost is correct, I don't suppose anything I can say will have any effect.

Random theory time: There is likely an Armament inside the Temple, possibly being powered by the Ring and possibly projecting Inner Perimeter.

Well that came out of nowhere. It's not a bad theory though, the whole Voyaging Realm is Foremost made, perhaps they could have some foremost tech in there. Not sure it'd be an armament specifically though - if they had an Astral Rank 10 being backing them up, would they even need an enslaved Ring?
 
Unfinished, but fuck it, I am not feeling I'll actually add up all that much to it. I allowed the recent progression of events get to me, and it really fucked me up. I need to take a break. Hopefully, I could manage get some control back and knock out another one before the vote lock.

Let the fractions of arete coming from this be actually useful.


Contrary to the implications of the otherwise. With how his father was, I wonder if this family got shafted only for doing their job. Sounds fitting; the heroes always get it rough in Rihakuverse, unless they turn on their hidden masters and overcome all reasonable and unreasonable obstacles.

As always, a blue horizon. The deep blue horizon of a mist-shrouded morning, the sky a callous gradient from black to bruise-blue, birdsong and a distant rumbling the only interruptions to the thick silence of this hour, a quiet thicker than the all-pervasive fog. A quiet like iron smog settling in the lungs. Even the detritus of the Inners is oppressive.
The inner monologue of a man who is definitively not at peace with his lot in life. Considering the dramatic difference between power of middle residents and the implied prosperity of inner residents, he has reasons to be so. Pity that his son closes his eyes on that... We could have gone very, very far if Vanreir actually turned to our side.

He shook his head, blinking away his father's resentments. The contamination was worsening. For six hundred and seventy-six days, Vanreir had awoken at exactly this time to attend to his daily duties. He grabbed pail and cloth and began to scrub.
Is really contamination if it is correct? Well yes, but it sure is correct. I wonder if dear old dad was tugging at his heartstrings when we tried to diplomacy him. Choosing a different destination for the thrust of his spirit would've saved his life back then. Instead, he is dead, and his sister is all alone, left in the clutches of civilization that is fairly likely to fall entirely in the next month.

There were those for whom duty was a prison and habit its cage, but he considered both more as scaffolding, the bedrock structure on which a life could be built. Meticulously he cleaned his room, the light of his soul kept coiled and inert, and moved steadily onto his sister's.
Despite getting told to move out now, he still found time for his sister and his cleaning habit. Well, just straight-up jumping into murder reduces his strength considerably, I suppose. I yet again wonder if it is his natural habit, or influence of the father. Soul Evocation like that would've been so goddamn useful for Hunger's direct-minded determination to clear the Temple... Alas.
"Mm..." Erii was sleeping still, wrapped protectively around her plush pillow, and he maneuvered around her with quick, efficient movements, wiping down the weathered wood of the floors and carefully organizing her toys and knick-knacks.
A child is good for making one look sympathetic. And there is probably an entire civilization children like this.

Really not feeling good about this whole Moon Civ Destruction schtick. We are getting a lot of people shafted here. Still, we don't actually have the means to save these people, and Moon Civ itself shafts a lot of people as a matter of the course pretty much daily. From the middle residents to adventurers heeding the ring, there is enough shit for everyone to drown in.

"Brother?" She murmured groggily, slowly sitting up. She was growing more alert, even as his own body continued its slow decay. One day they would meet in the middle, and then irreversibly diverge. But not today.
I wonder if she is likely to become an outrider, should the things arrange so Hunger ultimately fails to enact lasting change on Moon Temple Civ. Shitty fates like that are the norm when Hero fails to overcome the impossible.

"Hush, small one. Go back to sleep." He smiled and placed a hand on her head. Today, he could still keep her safe.

"M'kay. Love you." She nuzzled his hand affectionately before settling down to sleep.

It is all on your shoulders now, my son. Everything I am, I leave to you. Let my soul be your guide. Let your soul be my tomb. And let this be enough, to awaken that which was promised. Please... let it be enough.
Soul Evocation allows to directly train rank. I wonder, if Vanreir simply powered up further, maybe he could have avoided the soul decay. If with time and enough talent, his soul could have adapted to this fusion in a synergetic manner.

Finished with his task, he walked past the now-empty master bedroom and towards the water closet. Their home was presentable, time to work on himself. A simple, linear routine was best. Fluctuation was the predecessor to instability.
A man in harmony with his nature.

In the distance, the Star-forges of the Inner Ring began their spinup, ceaseless clanging like a bell endlessly rung. They would not stop until well after the sun went down. Were the Inner Residents inured to the clamor, or did some miraculous artifice render them immune?
So there is some sort of a nightly cycle to the operation of arcane machinery of the inner temple. I wonder what they are working on day and night. Arcane defenses of the temple is one thing, but surely they are producing more than simply things they need merely to survive. What sort of the items truly powerful are interested in, I wonder.

One day, they would know the answer. One day, they would live Inside as well. Soon, if he proved himself. If he made just one more step forward. They were such wondrous rumors of the Land Inside, and yet the veil of secrecy was profound, so much so that even an Outrider of his exalted rank didn't warrant concrete details. Of all the scattered peoples who'd come together around the Ring, his House had had the most precipitous fall. Once a legend, now a cautionary tale. His father had lived Inside, but Vanreir had never seen past the cerulean shell that marked the Inner Perimeter, and by the time of his birth his father had been unable to speak of matters beyond the sword and his legacy. Nonetheless, he didn't resent those who'd engineered their fall. Why wallow in bitterness, when one could move forward instead? He would dispatch them, like any other opponent, when the time came. One policy for all enemies was simplest.
His sigil hummed, and Vanreir suppressed a frown. The coordinators were well aware of how the light of his soul operated. They knew he was not to be bothered in the morning, regardless of the urgency of the task. An even, regular routine was necessary to stabilize the power within; for all the sharpness of his light, it could only ever move in one direction. He did not consider such a fault. That which was linear, was also stable. That which was simple, was also strong.
So Sigils allow distant communication. Another example of inner magical technology trickling down into the middle.

"First Blade," the sigil spoke, and he recognized the cadence of Chief Coordinator Thran, whose normally-jovial disposition was utterly absent now.
"How can I help?" He said. As he spoke he continued to move, shaving cream applied to the throat with circular whisks of his horsehair brush.
"There's been a major incursion. Your services are requested."
"Is it the Brutes again? I thought Gondar had dealt with them."
"No. The Fairbright."
Based on the context this is not the regular occurrence. I wonder what exactly stopped this guy from calling even later, considering that we and other R-types penetrated into the inner temple at a rather middling pace; it is highly likely that he would have had time to complete his routine and only then go out to hunt Hunger. If he did that, he'd probably still be alive, even. Oh well.

Shocked as he was, his movements did not stop. Fluidly, effortlessly he drew the razor over skin, allowing himself to enjoy the satisfying schlick of the blade as it scooped cream and hair from skin. There, all done. Faultless and bloodless as always. His hands had never been so steady before his father's death.
No matter what sort of shocks, blood loss, smashed bones and sheared meat, this guy just keeps doing what he is doing. It applies even in social context. That is pretty crazy. But since he is not the "thrust" part of the equation, I wonder if he always was like this, or it is merely influence of his father that he disallowed himself to curb for whatever reason. Perhaps such synchronization allows for greater efficiency of the merge and slower decay?

He flicked away the last daub of shaving debris and slapped a hand across his cheeks, examining his reflection coolly. Eyes of storm blue. Hair of storm grey. His body's discorporation had not yet become apparent, his secret unrevealed. Time enough for two souls to do what one could not. Give us just one year more. One year, and Erii would be safe.
This is curious. I wonder if Discorporation is what allowed such soul merge, or is merely an unwanted side-effect of it. Hunger did not notice Vanreir suffering from any sort of particular malady other than his soul being stitched in two; this guy hid it well.

"The Fairbright," he finally said, voice level. "Her stay of execution's been lifted?"
"The Inners decided they want no part of her. Make it clean, First Blade. The stain on your House has almost been lifted."
His eyes widened slightly. "Faster than I'd expected. It hasn't even been two years. Will this be the last, then?"
"No. But we've detected two other R-types in the region. Bag them both and the Tribunal has agreed to review your case."
"Don't give me false hope, Coordinator."
I wonder how exactly R-Type translated. What "R" stands for? It is obviously some sort of a stand-in for "Actually potentially dangerous" but precise term eludes me.

"Experience has shown your abilities to be anything but false, Sir Amarlt. Keep this up and you'll be Lord Amarlt by day's end. Your grandfather would be pleased."
"And my father," he said.
The Coordinator coughed uncomfortably. "Er, yes. And... him. Good hunting, First Blade."
Sounds like dad really fucked up... Which is incredibly strange, considering what dad is the core of the Thrust. Was he trying for some sort of a rebellion? Or, like a mirror of Hunger, tried to improve the lot of those beneath him, and suffered from backlash of those who desire for things to remain as they are?
Unfortunate. He was far from peak condition, with his morning routine interrupted so. Still, this calibre of enemy did not demand his utmost. A junior Fairbright, her power barely tested. Mighty as their bloodline was, it could not compare to the light of his soul, much less his father's.
I can't help but wonder how powerful he would've been if allowed to progress normally. Sounds like his dad grants some sort of a ramping-up conceptual effect that empowers him as long as he follows direct, to-the-point sort of plans.

Unfavorable comparison between the light of his soul and that of his father convinces me even more that all of Vanreir's troubles are simply from lacking Rank.

And Fairbrights are widely known, and widely respected, but the Temple thinks that they can murder a junior one without repercussion. Or that they can handle the repercussion. That bodes ill for us.
Seven decades had Justinan Amarlt trained to erase the disgrace of his youth. He'd never succeeded, but Vanreir was his legacy in form and in truth, the sword of their composite soul unfurling in perfect unity. Justinan the Blade. Vanreir the Unerring. They were hilt and tang, bullet and blasting-cap: helpless apart, but together unstoppable. Artificial as it was, they were the Unerring Blade returned, the Amarlt inheritance resurgent at last. As had been promised, if the successors were true and the hour was dire. Look through the cycle, and where I am needed, there you will find me.
Sounds like the saying is merely yet another variation of the Cut Through meme; just look hard enough, you'll Find A Way/Cut Through. False significance given to the prophecies, when the real way to success in Rihakuverse is to put your nose to the grindstone and find a way to power up.
Sometimes he wished that their forebear's standards had not been quite so high. Sometimes he thought that his father's life had been too high a price to pay, simply prove the sincerity of their cause. But he cast such thoughts quickly out of mind. Sincerity was simple, that did not mean it was easy. For a disgraced line, even this minute Return was grace undeserved. His father had bent everything to their restoration. Some would say he had gone too far. They would never understand the nature of a Blade. This, son, is the essence of our Thrust...
Notably tho that the father did not pursue return of his family to grace because he considered that he had done something wrong, based on the glimpses of mental contamination; he simply loved his family that much. Such a shame for Vanreir himself to be a lapdog of his ultimate enemies, but it is kind of a tendency of the universe at large in Rihakuverse; hidden masters exploiting heroes to keep the wheels of the world grinding lives of the weaker into paste.

Playing along is a losing proposition; you gotta Find A Way to actually success, not merely delay the inevitable. Or Cut Through, I guess.
Lightly he took his sword from its rack and stepped out the door. Dawn's first rays graced the horizon, the gold commingling with the blue. He spun his blade gently, crystal-steel trapping and refracting the light, sunbeams shattered into a dizzying spray. They painted the cobblestones and the world-worn walls of the Middle District and slipped futilely off the Inner Perimeter just beyond, its matte-blue opacity obdurate and unchanging.
I wonder if Hunger could actually cut through into the inner perimeter right now. Not fight any of the actual defenders, but just... Actually get inside. Overcoming magical artifice created through the direct power derived from the Ring is probably hard.
Erii would be behind that sturdiest of walls soon enough. She was able, empathic and wise, already skilled in political maneuver. One day, she would ensure that House Amarlt could stand on its own legs once more, without the First Sword of the Outriders looming over its foes. On that day he would relinquish his father and join her for whatever years he had remaining. Until that day, there was only one thing that he could do.
And she is also a scion of a disgraced family that would be left without the support of her martially-capable brother. The inner temple is just going to grind her into paste-like it ground their father, if the context is any indication; it is yet another society of cut-throat sharks struggling in the small pool, never looking outside.

Gabrielle Fairbright fell without incident. The blood of ten thousand heroes sang in her veins, choirs of the Astral had descended to shield her, her blade of legend had blazed like a second sun, plain become glass before its incandescence; and yet none of that had saved her from the ordinary thrust of his blade, which with unerring force struck true. That was his pride and culmination, the sole point and purpose of his existence, for which his father had given his life and his mother had died in despair. Strike a thousand times, or make one strike that tells.
Even a pale shadow of Oddysial's motto is a terrifying force that overcomes the grandest destinies and gravest prophesies. Gabrielle might have been a destined hero, but Vanreir is a pale rip-off of a pale rip-off of a pale rip-off of the guy who broke the multiverse to his will, so it is unsurprising that she fell easily.

I do not know if you will understand.
In the end, language can only reduce things so far.
This, son, is the essence of our Thrust:
Pierce through. Even if it cannot be pierced.
Pale imitation of the Forebearer. Still enough. Pity that it got warped to the evils Accursed typically fight, but sometimes people just lose.

Panting, he leaned atop the blade like an old man with a cane, eyes roaming his body to assess the damage. His right arm was burned, his left arm a seared ruin, one eye gone, the lung on his left side unresponsive. A small price to pay to see a Fairbright downed. Though his body was a ruin, the light of his soul hummed merrily, eager and undiminished, its appetite whetted but far from sated.
I thought earlier that this is just him being this badass, but apparently his utter resistance to anything short of actually dying is a Soul Evocation effect. Sounds like Soul Evocation has all the potential of Graces... Except, unlike with Graces, we lack the EFB to get ALL THE GRACES, so the sheer potential versatility is just not there.

It was the nature of a thrust to go too far, to over-penetrate. That was how you made certain of the kill.
Well, actually you work to ensure that you do not waste the damage overflow on the useless targets, but that also works, I guess.
 
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Reaction Circa Honor Unstained. 1556 Words.

Once and Future


Evening came. Letrizia had retreated into Verschlengorge to rest, while Gisena meditated quietly beside the campfire, legs crossed in the lotus position. Instincts honed through years of supernatural warfare alerted him to the gathering of mystical force. He rose, blade in hand, scanning the horizon.
I wonder if she's floating like a jedi right now? Also, good instincts on Lord Hunger's part. I can't even say they are misplaced, given his circumstances and the near eternity of war he committed himself to. On another note, this Once and Future thing for the title, I wonder who it's referring to right now? It could be Gisena as the Once and Future Maiden who will eventually ascend to her level, or this could be another thing about us, the EFB, and whether or not we are a past self of the Forebear.

"Oh, did I startle you?" Gisena's eyes opened. "Sorry! I'm close to a breakthrough right now."
This will be a lot more sinister a statement once Gisena reached the Human Sphere and founds an analogue to Aperture Science. Which is also suspiciously apt given how she got here and how Isekais are a multiversal constant. It'll be an even more horrifying and sinister statement if Gisena somehow learned to Cultivate.

"Warn me first," he admonished, sitting back down. "I thought we had more teleporters incoming."
Hopefully you find an opportunity to be metaphorically and literally home for a while before the Geas of Indenture is up, Lord Hunger.


She laughed, scooting next to him. "If that'd been the case I would have warned you!"


"So, a breakthrough."


She nodded. "I've got to keep up, or you'll be all by your lonesome. Lucky for you I'm so smart."
Yes, given how inconsistent we are about buffing you, it's lucky indeed you're so smart, Gisena.


"Just me, Letrizia, and Verschlengorge. All alone."
Until you transcend Astral Rank 10 because of Cursebearer bullshit or synergies from alternative magic systems and outgrow her too. You want long term friends Lord Hunger you need to pay for them or meet other Cursebearers.


"Yup! But don't worry, I think I've grasped a new aspect to the nature of findross. If I'm correct, the Foremost utilized it as well. Letrizia's work has been quite helpful on the matter."


"Really?" He looked at her, eyes wide.
Then who or what precisely, was the Maiden? A member of the Foremost? Were the Foremost humanish? We'll probably need Total Eclipse to get answers to any of these kinds of questions I guess.

She giggled. "Curious now? I wonder what you'll give to know... ?"
I am really going to enjoy when Lord Hunger is finally able to interact with more people because this closed off flirtatious pseudo-family dynamic is just boring at this point.

"I'm giving you my attention right now," he deadpanned. "That could change."
A serious threat, at least from a modern economic standpoint.

"Oh my!" She clutched her hands to her chest. "Well, in that case, how about this? Tell me something about your adventures. Letrizia's not the only one with a mysterious past, mister hero."


"Hmph." He closed his eyes. "My... wife was the adopted heiress of the Tyrant. She originally infiltrated our group on his orders, but turned against him when she saw the depredations inflicted upon the people. She sacrificed herself and our unborn child so I could deliver the killing blow against him. I put everything of myself into that final attack. By my estimation, half my spirit and my memories were burned away. That was about a year ago now. Much of the past is a mystery to me as well."
It looks like Unelemental called this one about Lord Hunger's Wife. That and the lost spirit/memories must inspire serious ouch feelings to hear from the outside. Lord Hunger seems like serious pitybait in the Alternian sense. The thing about Hunger's Wife turning against the Tyrant once she saw the depredations, people should file that away, because it seems like something Lord Hunger would do to get people on his side is rub the atrocities of the system they may have never seen in their faces.

Gisena gently laid a hand on his arm. "May I give you a hug?"


He closed his eyes. "Sure."
This pale stuff is a lot less boring than the flirtatious behavior. But I'm not saying anything at this point I haven't already said several times I imagine.

She drew him into a soft embrace, whispered words falling gently into his ear. Her hair draped over his face, its delicate scent wafting over him. "It's not your fault. You know she doesn't blame you. That she would reject any idea that you had failed at all. But that doesn't feel like it's good enough. You want to blame yourself, because that means you could have made a difference, perhaps?"
Shoosh... if this was Alternia this is when the papping would start.

"Gisena..."


She drew back slightly, bringing them face to face, and cocked her head in an expression of faux innocence. "Hm? Am I wrong?"


He scoffed lightly. "What do you think?"
Nope! She's not wrong at all, Gisena's right and Lord Hunger knows Gisena's right but isn't the kind of person to say it.

"I think it's not healthy to keep everything bottled up by yourself. You can rely on us, just until you get everything in order."
That seems like it'll take a while and some effort on Lord Hunger's part to soupe them up so odds are we're going to just keep doing what we're doing until something seriously breaks.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're one to talk. Have you ever lost your composure before?"


She smiled sadly, leaning into the embrace again. "I've been trying to become less controlled since I arrived in this world!"
Have you tried outsourcing your decisions to dice before Gisena or is that still not uncontrolled enough for you? How spotaneous are you trying to be? Also, I am really loving this feelings jam right now.

Gisena paused, mulling over her next words. "The Maiden... is every Sorceress' role model, the founder of our civilization and source of all our Graces. To quickly advance in Sorcery, one should emulate her as closely as possible. Excellence in every field.
Excellence in every field? I think I pushed that theory in the original version of a Simple Transaction. Looks like I had a point unless there was some factor the Sorceresses were missing or that I've forgotten. Polymathery really is power. On another note, was the Maiden a Scion analogue? We'll need Total Eclipse to find out.

Perfection in grace and poise. And, it goes without saying, remaining a pure and chaste maiden. Not to brag, but it all came easily for me. Many lords tried courting me, but none of them ever came close to keeping up, so it was easy to avoid becoming interested.
I'm getting echoes of the dynamic Colonel Steele and Yuuko Kozuki had in Luv and Hate(A Supreme Commander/Muv Luv Alternative crossover quest by Cpl. Facehugger) right now. This is not a bad thing in my opinion. Red elements, pale elements, lots of science and research, etc. Steele and Yuuko both have farked up things they regret doing and are trying to atone/move past them. I would not mind seeing this explored more by Lord Hunger getting a crafting friendly magic system and exploring the implications with Gisena, so Gisena can turn into something closer to a Yuuko figure but without the atrocities in her past.

It was easy to deflect them, easy to master the arts and sciences, easy to advance as a Sorceress... I never really faced anything comparable to what you did, since I portaled away before the Hero could begin his conquest. My home civilization may be doomed, but I've never had to see it burn. Would I lose my composure if I had?"


She shrugged, voice soft. "...I don't know. It's not that it doesn't hurt, but it's simply not in my nature to show it. Perhaps that's because of training. But, I think it's more likely that I was always like this. That it's simply who I am."
Was Gisena fated to become the heroine in a different story than her world's, blessed by some group of fates? I know things can't be this pale all the time but pale behavior like this... I like it.

"...Perhaps you're fine as you are. In any case, it was a ringing endorsement of yourself."


"Isn't it? I could go on all day about how wonderful I am. The perfect distraction from your ills!"


"Well, at least she's self-aware."
Agreed and a good thing for that. Sometimes everybody needs a distraction.


"Speaking of, I'm hopeful this new breakthrough will free me of the Maiden's shadow, allowing me to improve my sorceries directly! Though I'm not certain of the exact benefits it'll bring..."
Yess... jailbreak those maybe shard analogues.

"Don't blow yourself up."


"Hm? Gonna miss me?"
Actually maybe yes right now. This was enough to give you a Blade point or two in terms of considering you interesting.


"I won't miss your cooking, that's for certain."


"Really? I think it's cute. Everyone should have at last one quirk like that."


"As long as one doesn't inflict it on others."


"I'll have you know, I unwrapped some ration bars for Letrizia the other day, and she said they tasted perfectly fine!"
Wonder if it's the Findross exposure. Does it have a sense for anime stereotypes and seek to enforce them? What is its sense for "Should be" calibrated towards?


He patted her on the back. "There, there. Do you hear this? That's the sound of one hand clapping."
Well that's one way to resolve that old Zen koan.


Dawn of the next day saw him rising from his bedroll to greet the sun. Letrizia was up as well, furiously brushing her teeth as Verschlengorge slumbered. The Armament's chest was open, low to the ground so that its pilot could use the inbuilt bathroom for its water faucet and mirror.
Where does the water come from? Extracted and filtered from rivers? Generated ex nihilo with magical Foremost bullshit?

"I've been meaning to ask, has your civilization not invented an easier solution for that?"


"Hwah?" She gargled and spat. "Sorry, what?"


"The toothbrush and toothpaste."


"Oh!" She set her cup down, splashing water repeatedly on her face, energetically applying a towel. "You and Miss Gisena have it easy, with your Rank and fancy findross. We do have technologically sophisticated dental hygiene, but it requires some infrastructure. Out in the field this is just more reliable."
Fringe time saving benefits of supernatural bullshit, lucky Hunger and Gisena. We should get time dilation fields to stack on top of that at some point so Letrezia can share in the bullshit if we haven't found a way to get her some of her own bullshit by then.

"Like your paper manuals?"
Those are probably functional in more places too if that stuff about ontological parameters from earlier is any indication. Probably magitek universes where the quantum mechanical principles governing computers as we know them don't apply.


"Yup!" She chirped, leaning against Verschlengorge's recumbent hand. "Also, a lot of augments aren't compatible with the Totality control scheme. Verschlengorge was grumpy even about my hair for a while, and that's nothing!"
The Foremost must really love their magical bullshit. Cybernetics are for scrubs get out lol.

She pretended casualness, dragging her foot in the dirt. "So, what's the plan for today, intrepid bodyguard? Going to invade the Temple again?"
We don't qualify as a one man army by the temple resident's standards. Not yet anyway. This is still a guerilla campaign, not an invasion.

"Thinking about it," he stretched idly. "Gisena will stay here with you, but don't expect her to be of any use. She's busy meditating to attain a Sorcerous breakthrough of some kind."


"So I'll have to keep her safe, huh? Maybe I should dock your pay for that!"
You mean try and take a cut from when we get our payment for bringing you back to civilization safe and sound? Are you paying us with anything but supplies/shelter right now? Is your currency even good here? In hindsight I think Letrezia is being sarcastic/ironic or whatever precise term fits here.

"You can try," he said amusedly.


"W-what's that supposed to mean? Think I won't do it?"


"It'd be Gisena's portion of the pay, feel free to take it up with her."


"Aheheheh..."
Wait a minute she was serious? Trying to make sense of the joke here though. Was it that Lord Hunger wouldn't have gone along with the pay cut? Was it that she was talking about docking pay for the wrong person and that Gisena was the one who deserved it? Was she realizing her own lack of leverage and breaking into nervous laughter? Does she think she'd get run over socially if she tried to dock Gisena's pay? *Quizzical look*

"Anyway," she walked around him, hands behind her back, "You don't need to worry about us. If anything, we should be doing the bulk of the worrying here. Have you considered taking it easy for a day or two?"

"Yes, I decided against it."
Yeah I suppose they have a point. Can't have their biggest league combatant getting themselves killed by running off alone after all. Unfortunately for them, Lord Hunger is very invested in keeping up the momentum or is a creature of inertia like the guy with uber sword thrusts we're fighting right now or something. On the other hand you wouldn't have to worry about Apocryphal bullshit anymore so its kind of a mixed bag?


She nodded, a bit downcast. "Okay. Hey, when do you think 'Ber' is going to return? Are we strong enough to beat him yet?"


"I doubt it. But he won't be back for a while. We have at least a few weeks more. In that time, I'll need to surpass him, or get Verschlengorge's biological components repaired to an acceptable standard."
Let's hope you're right Lord Hunger. Ideally we'll be able to do both.

"That's going to be tough." She bit her lip. "Without the proper facilities, it'll be hard to bring him to anywhere near fully operational. Most of the biological side is Foremost technology. I know your ring is powerful, but..."


"Give it time. We'll see in a week or two if the Armament is still beyond this particular ring of power. And if not, there's another one that I'm trying to liberate from the Temple denizens."
Man will that have a lot of awkward symbolism giving the ring to a waifu like that to soupe them up. Also the Ring of Blood can totally start on healing Verschlengorge at least as you will hopefully be finding out soon Letrezia.


"Well, good luck!" She said, skipping over to the Armament's cockpit. "Don't be out too late. Any preferences for dinner?"


"That soup was good."


"Mm-hm! Soup it is!"
Maybe Letrezia should start joking about no soup for you if Lord Hunger keeps being reckless like this? That would be a pretty archaic meme though.



[X] Breach the Middle with [X] Fall of Night has won.


Gisena's Sorcerous evolution will be complete in two days. You did not choose to assist her, but you may still gain access to some of the options via Arete expenditure, representing Gisena's own moment of genius. You have 2 Arete.


High Sorceress - Through her examination of Letrizia's research into the nature of Pressure, Astral Rank and the Foremost, Gisena has transformed herself into a High Sorceress, findross integrated indelibly into her spirit so that her Sorcerous state is now the default. Her separate Graces have been merged and expanded into an overarching power of Nullity, though she remains conversant only with a few functions identical to her previous power-set at the current time. Still, the potential for future growth is tremendous, and she's already made a breakthrough in one area:
Wonder how that stacks up vs an Eternal Sorceress? Probably better I'd imagine. Also given the attribute boosts I've got the urge to play Avalon from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure part 2 to herald Gisena's breakthrough unto new realms of fabulousness.

[ ] Incident Nullification - Gisena is able to nullify specific phenomena or concepts on which she has practiced extensively; the more abstract and influential the target, the more difficult the Nullifcation, with even moderate nullifications being of surpassing complexity. However, the ultimate potential for this ability is vast.


*Low initial utility, high potential.
That's farking awesome. A pity we need something with more immediate utility.

[ ] Lance of Nullity - A focused burst of intensified Nullity that carries the full disenchanting force of her Ultimate, but at far less cost. Simple and effective, if a bit linear.


*High initial utility, low potential.
Dunno what to think about this one right now except that it lost.

[ ] Grand Nullification - 2 Arete. Focusing on the single greatest threat to the party's safety and livelihood, Gisena mitigates the Apocryphal Curse one full step further. This will sharply decrease the amount of energy and potential she has to spare on combat applications, unless you invest considerably into her future development options.


*I hope I don't have to point out the merits of this option

*I will say that it has minimal bearing on your immediate circumstances, however.
80 Percent strength Apocryhal Curse IIRC is nothing to sneeze at considering the energy requirements. Gisena found something truly bullshit if she had the chance to pull this off. Considering she had the potential to do something of this magnitude, that only reinforces my thought that Avalon is appropriate music for her breakthrough.

[ ] Sublime Attainment - 2 Arete. It is said that this Sorceress' only lot is to nullify, but that is false. The powers of the Maiden are but one aspect of her Grace; her supernal perfection is the other. For is it not the province of the Maiden to excel at all things? And who better to embody that legacy than Lady Gisena Allria, genius of her age? Fitting that a genius would so adeptly play to her strengths.


Sharply increases the Attribute bonuses granted to Gisena from Sorcery, increasing Gisena's physical attributes, Wits, and Appearance to levels competitive with Hunger's higher stats.


*Very high initial utility, medium potential

*Makes her existing arsenal much more accurate and improves her powers in social combat
The route that won, getting Gisena out of her living backpack role and souping up our speed from not needing to carry her around anymore.


Gisena will still have access to Incident Nullification and increased parameters either way, but not selecting them means she will not focus her efforts on those areas unless prompted in the future.
We should encourage her in the Incident Nullification direction once this Temple mess is over and done with.


Though no true accommodation is possible with the residents of the Temple, it could not hurt to make them think otherwise, especially with your venturing into the Middle Temple alone. Then again, a hardened attitude and unswerving focus on violence have a certain effectiveness of their own...
Given Lord Hunger's experience as a veteran of a Guerilla warfare campaign, he would agree with making them think otherwise as I've already gone into.

[ ] Hear Them Out - Attempt diplomacy, reveal information about yourself and your Ring in an attempt to draw out information about the Inner Temple and their Ring. See if any pressure points remain for subversion or corruption of existing forces. Your Ring of Blood makes you intimidating to most living foes; many should be willing to talk when their very hearts quiver in fear of you. [+.25 Arete, +information?]
As I keep saying. Intelligence needs information to process so we can make use of it. We need to stop being so antisocial. Guerilla Warfare lives and dies on intelligence.

[ ] Cut Through - Their deaths are regrettable. But their opposition is inevitable. Therefore it can be no other way. Do it cleanly. Do it simply. No false pretenses. Like the Forebear would have wanted. [+1 pick to be spent on Forebear's Blade options, +5% effectiveness, +Mental Contamination, -1 Once and Future Cost]
*Time travel Forebear is future us theories, yadda yadda yadda, Ring inscription was from somebody who knew it would be stained suggesting temporal shenanigans yadda yadda yadda, the Forebear's blade is loyal to us because we are a past self of the forebear, Faust Alberich scenario, I've said all this already in earlier posts and am glad this didn't win because of it. 2 Heartlessness points is enough and hopefully we get Exalted Spirit in the future to bring us back down to one.


[ ] Opportunistic Raiding - Actually, see if you can catch another party of adventurers in the midst of battle with the Middle or Inner Residents, ideally a party in need of some assistance. You can gain a group of useful companions and take out a powerful outrider in one fell swoop. And with the power of Astral Rank, you needn't rely solely on random chance to deliver such a tempting prospect to you! [+temp companions, +0-20% effectiveness, 20% chance of failure, in which case proceed with Breach the Middle unmodified]
Whether or not we're making use of the companions we voted for is still in the air at this point. Let's hope we do and that a social route wins. I'd seriously love for us to get a Ring proc that isn't combat based so we can possibly get some social powers.
 
  • "Permanent" only means that it does not expire automatically, so it will last until we find a way to remove it. If you take Kinslayer and focus on Rulling Ring that might be less than two weeks..
We have no less than three different sources of healing, at a certain point we're going to pass up further healing because of the opportunity cost.
 
Also, I do hope that we see more Temple civ PoV. It very much feels similar to Soul Society invasion arc*, which was made specially cool thanks to you learning about powerful and interesting people inside. Vanreir was super fun as his own thing rather than a rando we kill for xp, after all.

*Will Ring's execution date change tho?
We have no less than three different sources of healing, at a certain point we're going to pass up further healing because of the opportunity cost.
Ruling Ring gives you super powerful healing, apparently.
 
For Librarian access to such varied tools could really help us in a variety of situations, when physical force alone has trouble winning. Take the last fight with Van, how great would the option of Soul Attacks been?

Or Invisibility to help us explore the Middle Temple unseen? Or teleportation to help us escape?

With Inheritor we get all that. And we get a big boost to mental stats. And we get a way to train stats and rank.

It isn't hard, when you have a library card!
 
[] Forebear's Blade - Uttermost

.W
hatever. I want to overcome this place and figure out what waits us in the Inner temple already.

Though, I doubt it will be worth it in the long run in the slightest. The unmitigated Tyrant's Doom and shitty charisma combined with Apocryphal Curse will just force us into situations that will end up similar to this temple, leaving us no choice but to keep escalating as hard as possible while repeatedly sacrificing everything possible on the altar of necessity.

Edit: ...
 
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We have no less than three different sources of healing, at a certain point we're going to pass up further healing because of the opportunity cost.
Well, I mean, with that concern in mind the upside of taking additional physical disabilities is that the comparative cost of not healing them increases the more damaged Hunger gets, which should make healing more attractive.

Not sure I'd consider that really a desirable upside, though.
 
...As far as I can tell, no one voted against Heedless War because of Ringwar concerns.
Yes, context of primacy. But sure, you are right. Risk estimations were the leading argument before vote consolidation and after it.
But this discussion is pointless.
It generates arete. I am metaphorically out of breath, but if you feel you got something to add, do so; you are still working for the benefit of the thread and your preferred course of action.
 
[X] Forebear's Blade - Uttermost

.W
hatever. I want to overcome this place and figure out what waits us in the Inner temple already.

Though, I doubt it will be worth it in the long run in the slightest. The unmitigated Tyrant's Doom and shitty charisma combined with Apocryphal Curse will just force us into situations that will end up similar to this temple, leaving us no choice but to keep escalating as hard as possible while repeatedly sacrificing everything possible on the altar of necessity.
Inheritor is leading right now, no need to sacrifice your vote. This is emminently doable.

Currently it's between Uttermost and Inheritor right now. Both heavily affect our play style, but I think the utility offered by Librarian is a far bigger concern than just more power. Hunger even echoed such in the update, even. Age and Treachery can lead to victory where pure power might fail, and what would be better to exploit that than such an incredibly versatile Soul Evocation?

With Thousand Cuts and Fall of Night offensive power is not a weakness anymore, but our utility is still lacking. Why not take this opportunity to rid ourselves of this hole in our capabilities?
 
So I am just putting the out there for those voting inheritance but the Magus used gestures as well as incantations to cast and we only have one arm at the moment. For all it's utility I may be better to take The unerring or The correspondent for now over The librarian until we have our other arm back.

Overall I think I'm leaning towards inheritance or stranglethorn at the moment though I am unready to vote as of yet. I really would like to avoid Uttermost as while it does not hit down any of the stats we currently have it does so what lock us into progressing in a particular manner for all the powers it gives us.

I think it would be wiser to take Inheritance The Unerring as a sort of test version and see what cut through actually costs without Uttermost, and perhaps get some of these stats that Uttermost nerfs the growth of first. It does sound like it is likely to come up again given our choices and thematics.

I also do want to see f we can eventually Rez the souls we take in with inheritance, but on the other hand stranglethorn feels really appropriate here.
 
So I am just putting the out there for those voting inheritance but the Magus used gestures as well as incantations to cast and we only have one arm at the moment. For all it's utility I may be better to take The unerring or The correspondent for now over The librarian until we have our other arm back.

Overall I think I'm leaning towards inheritance or stranglethorn at the moment though I am unready to vote as of yet. I really would like to avoid Uttermost as while it does not hit down any of the stats we currently have it does so what lock us into progressing in a particular manner for all the powers it gives us.

I think it would be wiser to take Inheritance The Unerring as a sort of test version and see what cut through actually costs without Uttermost, and perhaps get some of these stats that Uttermost nerfs the growth of first. It does sound like it is likely to come up again given our choices and thematics.

I also do want to see f we can eventually Rez the souls we take in with inheritance, but on the other hand stranglethorn feels really appropriate here.
At the end of the day it's a Soul Evocation rather than a formal magic system; I think we will be able to do just fine with one-arm gestures and our words
We also have explicit confirmation it has good immediate power
 
Honor Unstained Reaction post (#1070 words):

As always, a blue horizon. The deep blue horizon of a mist-shrouded morning, the sky a callous gradient from black to bruise-blue, birdsong and a distant rumbling the only interruptions to the thick silence of this hour, a quiet thicker than the all-pervasive fog. A quiet like iron smog settling in the lungs. Even the detritus of the Inners is oppressive.

He shook his head, blinking away his father's resentments. The contamination was worsening. For six hundred and seventy-six days, Vanreir had awoken at exactly this time to attend to his daily duties. He grabbed pail and cloth and began to scrub.

There were those for whom duty was a prison and habit its cage, but he considered both more as scaffolding, the bedrock structure on which a life could be built. Meticulously he cleaned his room, the light of his soul kept coiled and inert, and moved steadily onto his sister's.

Interestingly, Vanreir's father seemed to have a pretty low opinion of the Inner Temple, and of duty. Interesting that he would sacrifice himself for his children to be able to reach the Inner Temple then. Perhaps he saw no other way, and thought that helping his children regain the status of Inner Residents would be better, even if he didn't like those people.

Vanreir himself seems to be more of an optimist. Thinking more positively of duty and habit, and being truly dedicated and loyal to his masters.

"Mm..." Erii was sleeping still, wrapped protectively around her plush pillow, and he maneuvered around her with quick, efficient movements, wiping down the weathered wood of the floors and carefully organizing her toys and knick-knacks.

"Brother?" She murmured groggily, slowly sitting up. She was growing more alert, even as his own body continued its slow decay. One day they would meet in the middle, and then irreversibly diverge. But not today.

"Hush, small one. Go back to sleep." He smiled and placed a hand on her head. Today, he could still keep her safe.

"M'kay. Love you." She nuzzled his hand affectionately before settling down to sleep.

Adorable. Too bad that we're going to rip this family apart. I wonder how young Erii is - I would peg her as a pre-teen, but we don't have a lot of conclusive evidence. The fact that she has toys, has been growing "More alert" (meaning she was less so earlier), Vanreir calling her "small one," and her speech patterns all point towards a younger age, but later segments appear to imply that she's coming into her own as a person, which requires a certain amount of maturity. Pre-teen is the only age range I can think of that fits, but it's hard to tell.

It is all on your shoulders now, my son. Everything I am, I leave to you. Let my soul be your guide. Let your soul be my tomb. And let this be enough, to awaken that which was promised. Please... let it be enough.

Finished with his task, he walked past the now-empty master bedroom and towards the water closet. Their home was presentable, time to work on himself. A simple, linear routine was best. Fluctuation was the predecessor to instability.

In the distance, the Star-forges of the Inner Ring began their spinup, ceaseless clanging like a bell endlessly rung. They would not stop until well after the sun went down. Were the Inner Residents inured to the clamor, or did some miraculous artifice render them immune?

"Star-forges". What would a star-forge make? I feel like this may be important. Magic items or high technology maybe? We haven't seen advanced tech from this civilization. I'm more inclined to the magic explanation. Hm, those knights that are all over the place in the outer temple - maybe they're mass produced in those forges?

One day, they would know the answer. One day, they would live Inside as well. Soon, if he proved himself. If he made just one more step forward. They were such wondrous rumors of the Land Inside, and yet the veil of secrecy was profound, so much so that even an Outrider of his exalted rank didn't warrant concrete details. Of all the scattered peoples who'd come together around the Ring, his House had had the most precipitous fall. Once a legend, now a cautionary tale. His father had lived Inside, but Vanreir had never seen past the cerulean shell that marked the Inner Perimeter, and by the time of his birth his father had been unable to speak of matters beyond the sword and his legacy. Nonetheless, he didn't resent those who'd engineered their fall. Why wallow in bitterness, when one could move forward instead? He would dispatch them, like any other opponent, when the time came. One policy for all enemies was simplest.

So, interesting things here. Information about the Inner Temple is kept secret from the Middle Residents. What is in there that the Inners are so desperate to not have found out? Are they just paranoid about potential weaknesses of the innermost sanctum, or is there something in there that the middle residents would object to? Maybe it's all theater, by keeping their vassals guessing they produce an aura of mystery and wonder?

Also, note, "by the time of his birth his father had been unable to speak of matters beyond the sword and his legacy." Not unwilling to speak, unable. They definitely have some kind of mind control or geas type thing they can use. Something to watch out for.

His sigil hummed, and Vanreir suppressed a frown. The coordinators were well aware of how the light of his soul operated. They knew he was not to be bothered in the morning, regardless of the urgency of the task. An even, regular routine was necessary to stabilize the power within; for all the sharpness of his light, it could only ever move in one direction. He did not consider such a fault. That which was linear, was also stable. That which was simple, was also strong.

"First Blade," the sigil spoke, and he recognized the cadence of Chief Coordinator Thran, whose normally-jovial disposition was utterly absent now.

"How can I help?" He said. As he spoke he continued to move, shaving cream applied to the throat with circular whisks of his horsehair brush.

"There's been a major incursion. Your services are requested."

"Is it the Brutes again? I thought Gondar had dealt with them."

"No. The Fairbright."

Interesting that the Coordinator considered this urgent enough to interrupt Vanreir's routine, weakening him. Was it that time sensitive to get rid of Fairbright? Or maybe they were attempting, subtly, to set him up to fail?


Shocked as he was, his movements did not stop. Fluidly, effortlessly he drew the razor over skin, allowing himself to enjoy the satisfying schlick of the blade as it scooped cream and hair from skin. There, all done. Faultless and bloodless as always. His hands had never been so steady before his father's death.

He flicked away the last daub of shaving debris and slapped a hand across his cheeks, examining his reflection coolly. Eyes of storm blue. Hair of storm grey. His body's discorporation had not yet become apparent, his secret unrevealed. Time enough for two souls to do what one could not. Give us just one year more. One year, and Erii would be safe.

"The Fairbright," he finally said, voice level. "Her stay of execution's been lifted?"

"The Inners decided they want no part of her. Make it clean, First Blade. The stain on your House has almost been lifted."

So, there was something going on regarding Fairbright that caused the Inners to debate for a time. Too bad we're unlikely to ever find out what it was... Re-reading her initial description does not provide many clues. The description implies she's been wandering about fighting for truth and justice and what not, but she could have been from the temple originally. Or her bloodline is merely known to the families within the temple. I think it's more likely to be the latter.

She had a number of powerful magic systems - that sounds to me like at least three. Soul Evocation might be one of them, but what of the others? Furthermore, is Soul Evocation the only system the residents of the Temple has access to, or are there others? So much information we lack... Maybe Inheritor:Librarian would provide more knowledge.

His eyes widened slightly. "Faster than I'd expected. It hasn't even been two years. Will this be the last, then?"

"No. But we've detected two other R-types in the region. Bag them both and the Tribunal has agreed to review your case."

"Don't give me false hope, Coordinator."

"Experience has shown your abilities to be anything but false, Sir Amarlt. Keep this up and you'll be Lord Amarlt by day's end. Your grandfather would be pleased."

I wonder how many R-types Vanreir has killed. And how many the Temple typically sees in general. Are we unusual, or have they killed many others with rapid power growth abilities? Progression is mighty, but for these early stages there are many abilities that can match it.

Anyway, I'm just trying to figure out how big of a deal killing those two R-types is. I feel like this reaction post is giving me more questions then anything else.

"And my father," he said.

The Coordinator coughed uncomfortably. "Er, yes. And... him. Good hunting, First Blade."

Justinan is something of a persona-non-grata it seems. Even mentioning him throws off the Coordinator. What did he do to earn such treatment? Probably nothing really bad, the Inners seem like jerks in general. Or maybe he did deserve it, and spent his life trying to atone - no, actually, given how bitter he felt towards the Inner Temple, I think he at least didn't believe he deserved it.

Unfortunate. He was far from peak condition, with his morning routine interrupted so. Still, this calibre of enemy did not demand his utmost. A junior Fairbright, her power barely tested. Mighty as their bloodline was, it could not compare to the light of his soul, much less his father's.

Seven decades had Justinan Amarlt trained to erase the disgrace of his youth. He'd never succeeded, but Vanreir was his legacy in form and in truth, the sword of their composite soul unfurling in perfect unity. Justinan the Blade. Vanreir the Unerring. They were hilt and tang, bullet and blasting-cap: helpless apart, but together unstoppable. Artificial as it was, they were the Unerring Blade returned, the Amarlt inheritance resurgent at last. As had been promised, if the successors were true and the hour was dire. Look through the cycle, and where I am needed, there you will find me.

Sometimes he wished that their forebear's standards had not been quite so high. Sometimes he thought that his father's life had been too high a price to pay, simply prove the sincerity of their cause. But he cast such thoughts quickly out of mind. Sincerity was simple, that did not mean it was easy. For a disgraced line, even this minute Return was grace undeserved. His father had bent everything to their restoration. Some would say he had gone too far. They would never understand the nature of a Blade. This, son, is the essence of our Thrust...

The "disgrace of his youth." Perhaps the crime in question was simply a mistake? That would explain his bitterness.

Having Catherine really would have been helpful here. She probably would have had the True Unerring Blade Evocation, rather then the artificial one created by Justinan and Vanreir. And she would have been very loyal to us. Still, what's done is done, and I don't regret Gisena, the Ring Hunger, or the Forebear's Blade in the slightest. The artifacts have served us well and I literally cannot imagine Hunger without his Sorceress companion.

Lightly he took his sword from its rack and stepped out the door. Dawn's first rays graced the horizon, the gold commingling with the blue. He spun his blade gently, crystal-steel trapping and refracting the light, sunbeams shattered into a dizzying spray. They painted the cobblestones and the world-worn walls of the Middle District and slipped futilely off the Inner Perimeter just beyond, its matte-blue opacity obdurate and unchanging.

Erii would be behind that sturdiest of walls soon enough. She was able, empathic and wise, already skilled in political maneuver. One day, she would ensure that House Amarlt could stand on its own legs once more, without the First Sword of the Outriders looming over its foes. On that day he would relinquish his father and join her for whatever years he had remaining. Until that day, there was only one thing that he could do.

OK, so this is the section that makes me confused about Erii's age. The earlier section makes her sound like a young child, but "Able, empathetic and wise, already skilled in political maneuver" does not sound like it can be anyone younger then an earlier teenager or maybe a pre-teen if she's really talented.

Gabrielle Fairbright fell without incident. The blood of ten thousand heroes sang in her veins, choirs of the Astral had descended to shield her, her blade of legend had blazed like a second sun, plain become glass before its incandescence; and yet none of that had saved her from the ordinary thrust of his blade, which with unerring force struck true. That was his pride and culmination, the sole point and purpose of his existence, for which his father had given his life and his mother had died in despair. Strike a thousand times, or make one strike that tells.

That single strike his father had practiced day-in and day-out, practiced until his tendons wore down and his joints melted away, until his blood became dust and his bones became kindling, until the killing blow was nothing less than a way of life, and the conclusion of its stroke indistinguishable from life's ending.

All that panicking about the Mesovore, the Mary Sue, and she dies as a footnote. You can truly never predict what is going to happen in this quest... Well, no, you can. We'll continue to make bad choices of combat targets. I don't think any of our build votes have ever been true mistakes, but we make dumb choices as to actions to take after those build votes all the time.

Actually, I don't think any of our enemy choices have been mistakes recently either. We rolled badly to get Vanreir as an opponent, but the option was overall rather safe. And before that we mostly took middle difficulty options.

Our only truly bad decisions were King Fish and coming to the Temple of the False Moon. Too bad the latter continues to haunt us to this day, and will continue to do so well into the future.

I do not know if you will understand.
In the end, language can only reduce things so far.
This, son, is the essence of our Thrust:
Pierce through. Even if it cannot be pierced.


Panting, he leaned atop the blade like an old man with a cane, eyes roaming his body to assess the damage. His right arm was burned, his left arm a seared ruin, one eye gone, the lung on his left side unresponsive. A small price to pay to see a Fairbright downed. Though his body was a ruin, the light of his soul hummed merrily, eager and undiminished, its appetite whetted but far from sated. It was the nature of a thrust to go too far, to over-penetrate. That was how you made certain of the kill.

On to the next.

Determination, valor, and purpose, and simplicity of action - all futile in the face of Age and Treachery. Something for the SORD voters to remember, the perfect thrust, or cut, is not always enough.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, I'm, not going to do the vote options because I need to go to dinner with my family. And when I get back, I'll have to deal with the nine new alerts that popped up while I was writing this! Please wait warmly.
 
I can certainly see the merits of getting a library card, and it's my second choice. But Uttermost just feels really good to me.

"Increase by 30% the value of all Rank +s"
If this actually increases all the rank we get from here on out by 30%, and people keep telling me it's the godstat - isn't this getting super underestimated? or is Rank +s only referencing a small portion of how we get rank?

I feel like that pretty much cancels out a lot of the negatives from"Reduce by 30% the value of Luck, Protection, Wisdom and Charisma +s" just by virtue of Rank increasing everything. Or does someone know if I'm way off base?
 
Tally incoming.
Adhoc vote count started by Conjured Blade on Jun 18, 2020 at 6:02 PM, finished with 608 posts and 61 votes.
 
Inserted tally
Adhoc vote count started by Conjured Blade on Jun 18, 2020 at 6:02 PM, finished with 608 posts and 61 votes.
 
I can certainly see the merits of getting a library card, and it's my second choice. But Uttermost just feels really good to me.

"Increase by 30% the value of all Rank +s"
If this actually increases all the rank we get from here on out by 30%, and people keep telling me it's the godstat - isn't this getting super underestimated? or is Rank +s only referencing a small portion of how we get rank?

I feel like that pretty much cancels out a lot of the negatives from"Reduce by 30% the value of Luck, Protection, Wisdom and Charisma +s" just by virtue of Rank increasing everything. Or does someone know if I'm way off base?
You're on base it's extremely valuable and as far as I know all of the Rank increases we have been offered have been "Rank +s"
 
With Thousand Cuts and Fall of Night offensive power is not a weakness anymore, but our utility is still lacking. Why not take this opportunity to rid ourselves of this hole in our capabilities?
I don't agree. The Ring of Blood offers a huge variety of utility effects, partly because any ring would be a skeleton key to get into the temple. Our actual offense, by contrast, has not scaled with the Temple so far. Our blade projections got pierced & countered in this last update, our blade projections couldn't cut through the armor of random outriders before that, we landed four blade projections on the magus but still couldn't kill him before he used a single attack...

Doing many things adequately is unlikely to get us through the Inner Temple. It is good to establish a powerful advantage in one field before broadening our horizons. Rihaku-quests often reward specialization as much as they reward synergy. Right now, I think that offensive specialization will be more useful than hoping to get lucky enough to unlock a powerful synergy. Uttermost offers that specialization.
 
Sapling (Fanwork 900 Words)

Deflecting a beam into the endless sky, you think about your opponent. A powerhouse, shy of Rank 10. You were informed that there were no people near or at Rank 10. Clearly it's not true, at least, Apocryphal Curse made in untrue.

He is unyielding, undying, weight of the universe bears upon you. More than physical, material power. Concept made manifest. He is like a hurricane, bulldozing everything it's way.

But you are prepared, after all you are about to finish conquering the Human Sphere. You specifically prepared against this kind of thing thanks to a little story from your past.


You remember little from your past, what the time erased is further compounded by you burning it for the strength to finish of the Tyrant. But you remember that story from the world you were transported.

Once there was a seed who fell into a handful of dirt surrounded by the hardest of rocks, little water with even less sunlight.

Little by little the seed grew into the dirt. But it's roots hit the stone and stopped, the dirt only supported 1 little leaf and the stone was too hard to root into. One may think it was the end of the seeds with so little. It was not

Hundred years passed and the seed managed to drill into the stone.

Thousand years passed and there was a lonely tree in a field of stone. The seed transformed into the tree. Though if you somehow managed to look into the stone, you would find it was full of roots. Even reaching to the dirt beyond the stone.

Ten Thousand years passed and the place turned into a forest with a huge tree in the middle, the barren stone long since grounded into the dirt by the roots of the tree.

Then long in the future, one day a storm comes, a powerful storm, a dreadful storm, a storm that destroy every world in its path. It eventually reaches the world who houses the tree that grew from the seed after destroying countless worlds and the storm breaks on the world. The tree whose roots long since grasped into the world, going beyond the core, even the spacetime, into the myriad, now supports the world.

It's a fine story, teaching the children the virtues of persistence and believing in themselves. That everything could be accomplished in time. That even the most difficult thing can be done with persistence.

But it's not just a story, it's a Myth, it's a Truth, it's a Legend.

And in your case, it's your Legend.

This is the fruit of all of your preparation, that you started in that fateful Temple of the Moon. You knew you had to or the dreaded storm would sweep you away. You had to slowly increase your momentum, to unstoppable, inescapable, inevitable.

Every blow against you is indescribably strong, leaving holes in your body, every blow you deal against the opponent is a scratch, a momentary distraction.

Your opponent is confident. That he will inevitably finish you. Not bothered by the fact that scratches don't heal or go away. After all, it's just a scratch right?

But you can feel the flow, the way the things are going, the result.

He already lost.

The weight of the universe it may be but it's still endurable.

Blows that may be unmeasurable but still dealable.

Scratches they may be, but they are the flaws in the former perfection.

Another hundred round and another hundred scratches, slightly bigger.

Thousand rounds and cracks around the perfection.

Ten thousand rounds and the end is in sight. Perfection turned into desperation. Fiercer attacks that amounts to nothing. Burning the future for the Rank 10. Only delaying the inevitable end.

Ten rounds later and the final blow, destruction of perfection. Inescapable end.

As the mighty being ends in a whimper you stand tall. Riddles with wounds but not lesser for it. You will feel the momentum of your years of work starting to deplete. After all the goal has been achieved, the momentum that has no purpose has no reason to exists.

You better call Gisena to give the news but thinking about it she is probably expecting you to come back nearly dead and you don't want to prove her right.

Your communication device rings, you look at it with disbelief. How did it survive the fight?

Sighing, you answer the phone.

"Seeing as you answered the call, I will start the party. I presume healers are needed?"

If I say no?

"Then I will cancel the party because either you didn't fight the guy or he was a weakling not worth your time or more likely, you are lying~ " You can hear the amusement in her voice.

…you felt the fighting didn't you?

"Everyone did you big brain. Now come here before you drop dead or another foe appears from thin air. Don't forget to bring back the body, Letrizia would love to get her hands on it. "

Yes dear.

You chuckle as you end the call, you can feel the momentum drain even faster.

So much for unyielding you suppose.

Now how to tell Letrizia the body is in shambles and how he promises to get her something else.

AN:
This was a bit rushed but I wanted to write a Stranglethorn omake for a while. I was too busy with Azur Lane so only 900~ words.
Goes for the Stranglethorn of course..
 
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Assuming you live, what do you guys want to do after the Temple? Hit up a civ, explore the Voyaging Realm, hunt, or just beeline for Letrizia's civ?
 
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