Animus Ex Nihilo - A God Quest

People ask to trust the spirit, which the first time almost lost the servant of the Mountain, and the second time lost the servant. Let me remind you that the Mountain has a Mastery domain and the value of his servant to him may be more than a few villages.
And he did not really get any benefits from our cooperation. If we gave him the carcass of a bird, then we could talk about trust. Now? Better to hide.

[X] Take Skerhogis offer and join them.
-[X] The Sky Child's head.

Honestly this thread is strangely prone to bad decisions as of late. Let's not make another one.

quelthias said:

The votes for betraying sky child...
No! Bad!

I am going to go all out and say I would rather have the quest end in defeat than even think of such a thing.
Voting for the main plan to make such a massive 'Heretical' thought not happen.

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If for the survival of thousands of people who have served us for generations we need only 1 Sky Child's head - this is a good deal.

Bylba said:

If for the survival of thousands of people who have served us for generations we need only 1 Sky Child's head - this is a good deal.

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That's such a severe change in our characterization.

I don't care if this causes the story to end.

I don't care if it causes us to lose.

I do care about the followers but not nearly as much as the most important part...

This is a character who was written rather well in the story. To suddenly decide out of the blue to turn on him and kill him makes me feel really dirty. I get that we should vote with numbers rather than feelings but thats not how I roleplay. This action will completely tarnish this quest for me.

So I completely disagree with your deal even if its 1 trillion to one. For one main reason: its the right thing to do. Also the nameless thousands of followers don't generate emotions that characters we know in the story do.

GAWR said:

Honestly this thread is strangely prone to bad decisions as of late. Let's not make another one.

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Let's think about who made the wrong decisions ??? Hmmmm? Not the same majority that openly unsuccessful negotiations are choosing now? If we had listened to the voice of reason, we would have killed this scavenger many turns ago. They didn't treat that damn fish.

Bylba said:

If for the survival of thousands of people who have served us for generations we need only 1 Sky Child's head - this is a good deal.

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Sure, because the Devourer would leave our people alive.

At best he is genuine in his offer, but that will still result in him giving us the means to change into a no-people god like him, which gets our folks killed.

quelthias said:

That's such a severe change in our characterization.

I don't care if this causes the story to end.

I don't care if it causes us to lose.

I do care about the followers but not nearly as much as the most important part...

This is a character who was written rather well in the story. To suddenly decide out of the blue to turn on him and kill him makes me feel really dirty. I get that we should vote with numbers rather than feelings but thats not how I roleplay. This action will completely tarnish this quest for me.

So I completely disagree with your deal even if its 1 trillion to one. For one main reason: its the right thing to do. Also the nameless thousands of followers don't generate emotions that characters we know in the story do.

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We have been with these people for hundreds of years, we learned from them, we watched them, we rejoiced in their victories and supported them in their failures. As fathers and mothers shape our character, so they shape our friend's character.

Right now, we are faced with a choice: to give money to a terminally ill mother whom we have known all our lives and whom we have mutually cared for, or to a friend in high school.
For me, the choice is obvious.

Artemis1992 said:

Sure, because the Devourer would leave our people alive.

At best he is genuine in his offer, but that will still result in him giving us the means to change into a no-people god like him, which gets our folks killed.

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There is a choice: save someone or save anyone. If in order to save someone every winter we have to give 10 women to this monster, then so be it.

Bylba said:

We have been with these people for hundreds of years, we learned from them, we watched them, we rejoiced in their victories and supported them in their failures. As fathers and mothers shape our character, so they shape our friend's character.

Right now, we are faced with a choice: to give money to a terminally ill mother whom we have known all our lives and whom we have mutually cared for, or to a friend in high school.
For me, the choice is obvious.

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I am going to stop arguing because I can see that we aren't going to agree here.

For others reading this though, there is a choice.
We got a bloody nose but the devourer isn't all powerful yet.
We don't have to kill our friend to appease an enemy.

Bylba said:

Let's think about who made the wrong decisions ??? Hmmmm? Not the same majority that openly unsuccessful negotiations are choosing now? If we had listened to the voice of reason, we would have killed this scavenger many turns ago. They didn't treat that damn fish.

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Rich come one of the people who voted for a ultimately futile assault that got us into this mess.

Bylba said:

There is a choice: save someone or save anyone. If in order to save someone every winter we have to give 10 women to this monster, then so be it.

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You are not quite getting the point.
This thing will not kill any specific number of people, it is much more likely to cover the world in ice and death if it has enough power and time.

[X] Give more arguments why the Harsh Mountain should reject the offer.
-[X] First, we reject the offer. Not only do we not trust Skerhogis, we do not wish to lose ourselves to the madness and hunger that we have seen in him and his actions.
-[X] Even if the offer is tempting, the Harsh Mountain can never trust Skerhogis. See how he makes the offer first to the Harsh Mountain, then in the same breath offers us the same deal against him. Such an alliance would be short-lived at best, doomed for inevitable betrayal.
-[X] Very pointedly ask what the Great Working that Skerhogis would need the Harsh Mountain for is.

Artemis1992 said:

You are not quite getting the point.
This thing will not kill any specific number of people, it is much more likely to cover the world in ice and death if it has enough power and time.

[X] Give more arguments why the Harsh Mountain should reject the offer.
-[X] First, we reject the offer. Not only do we not trust Skerhogis, we do not wish to lose ourselves to the madness and hunger that we have seen in him and his actions.
-[X] Even if the offer is tempting, the Harsh Mountain can never trust Skerhogis. See how he makes the offer first to the Harsh Mountain, then in the same breath offers us the same deal against him. Such an alliance would be short-lived at best, doomed for inevitable betrayal.
-[X] Very pointedly ask what the Great Working that Skerhogis would need the Harsh Mountain for is.

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Do we want to give him strength and time? I just propose to lie low and figure out what to do with it. Develop a counter-ritual, find new allies, prepare the evacuation of our people. All this takes time, if a scavenger attacks us right here, there will be no time for anything.
+ You overestimate, the 3rd rank of the domain, there are doubts that it can arrange even a small ice age. That would be the 6th domain, yes, it would be scary there

GAWR said:

Rich come one of the people who voted for a ultimately futile assault that got us into this mess.

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I always try to vote for actions related to conflict, submission, fear, death. It can be pathetic to say that I am the voice of destruction.

Please stay respectful of each other. This is certainly a high-stakes vote, but I'd rather not see the tone of the thread turn vitriolic over it.

[] Leave the mountain while you have the chance
-[] To the furthest coast village where you with your Herald will rally the people to exile.

I don't understand the thread, we obviously don't have good arguments to convince the mountain, plus it's risky as hell to stay here. Better to run away while we can and to be honest life of servitude doesn't fit us as no matter what i believe it will taint our image and corrupt us.

We lost, now we need to collect what we can and run away.

To the Exile to promised land !!!

Also regarding Mountain, we should appeal to his pride with the fact that upcoming alliance with Skerhogis will be unequal one and he will be forced to servitude, also maybe throw in an concession of sorts that will give him upper hand in our alliance. Maybe promise him all the fame/power if Skerhogis is defeated.

Better servitude, or submission to the Mountain than to the Snake.

[X] Give more arguments why the Harsh Mountain should reject the offer.
-[X] First, we reject the offer. Not only do we not trust Skerhogis, we do not wish to lose ourselves to the madness and hunger that we have seen in him and his actions.
-[X] Even if the offer is tempting, the Harsh Mountain can never trust Skerhogis. See how he makes the offer first to the Harsh Mountain, then in the same breath offers us the same deal against him. Such an alliance would be short-lived at best, doomed for inevitable betrayal.
-[X] Also appeal to the Harsh Mountains pride and point out that he will probably have to be subservient to Skerhogis in such alliance and make a counter offer that if Skerhogis is defeated he will be entitled to the power and fame that comes from it among mortals.
-[X] Give concession of shouldering restoration of his herald and promise further help in regaining his mobility. Make a point that despite everything you are God of your word and will respect the deal opposed to certain snake.

[X] Give more arguments why the Harsh Mountain should reject the offer.
-[X] First, we reject the offer. Not only do we not trust Skerhogis, we do not wish to lose ourselves to the madness and hunger that we have seen in him and his actions.
-[X] Even if the offer is tempting, the Harsh Mountain can never trust Skerhogis. See how he makes the offer first to the Harsh Mountain, then in the same breath offers us the same deal against him. Such an alliance would be short-lived at best, doomed for inevitable betrayal.
-[X] Also appeal to the Harsh Mountains pride and point out that he will probably have to be subservient to Skerhogis in such alliance and make a counter offer that if Skerhogis is defeated he will be entitled to the power and fame that comes from it among mortals.
-[X] Give concession of shouldering restoration of his herald and promise further help in regaining his mobility. Make a point that despite everything you are God of your word and will respect the deal opposed to certain snake.

[x] Give more arguments why the Harsh Mountain should reject the offer.
-[x] Appeal to the Harsh Mountains pride and point out that he will probably have to be subservient to Skerhogis in such alliance and make a counter offer that if Skerhogis is defeated he will be entitled to the power and fame that comes from it among mortals.
-[x] Give concession of shouldering restoration of his herald and promise further help in regaining his mobility. Make a point that despite everything you are God of your word and will respect the deal opposed to certain snake.

I hate that this will basically put us in a subservient position, but needs must.

edit: changed my vote.

[x] Give more arguments why the Harsh Mountain should reject the offer.
-[x] Appeal to the Harsh Mountains pride and point out that he will probably have to be subservient to Skerhogis in such alliance and make a counter offer that if Skerhogis is defeated he will be entitled to the power and fame that comes from it among mortals.
-[x] Give concession of shouldering restoration of his herald and promise further help in regaining his mobility. Make a point that despite everything you are God of your word and will respect the deal opposed to certain snake.

I do not particularly like the first two points. Skerhogis may be hungry, but he is hardly mad, and has proved himself smart enough to win an engagement against our alliance. His approach to negotiation and battle also shows him a careful and skilled planner. One probably wouldn't mind losing themselves to madness if it gave them a clarity of mind to outwit "sane" opposition.

Similarly, he didn't offer us an alliance against the Mountain, or the Mountain against us; he simply offered a place by his side to whoever is willing to submit. Naturally, the one who doesn't will have to be terminated, possibly as a test of loyalty, but there is nothing inherently unfair in the offer, and I am sure he'd be just as glad to see us both bend the knee.

The point about subservience stands, though. Once forced into a position of a vassal, you are at the mercy of your sovereign, and can do little should they alter the deal or demand something you'd rather not give. Though knowing how Skerhogis operates, he has little reason to do so as long as the terms of alliance are observed.

Harsh Mountain may get his freedom of movement, but will lose the freedom of action. Unless he joins Skerhogis for good, the latter will come after the other spirits' followers eventually. It'd be exchanging one leash on another, and that one would be harder to get out of.

[x] Give more arguments why the Harsh Mountain should reject the offer.
-[x] Appeal to the Harsh Mountains pride and point out that he will probably have to be subservient to Skerhogis in such alliance and make a counter offer that if Skerhogis is defeated he will be entitled to the power and fame that comes from it among mortals.
-[x] Give concession of shouldering restoration of his herald and promise further help in regaining his mobility. Make a point that despite everything you are God of your word and will respect the deal opposed to certain snake.

Though it got a bit more active again, I would still like to get the next chapter out today, before work swamps me again.

So the vote will close in 5 hours.

[x] Give more arguments why the Harsh Mountain should reject the offer.
-[x] Appeal to the Harsh Mountains pride and point out that he will probably have to be subservient to Skerhogis in such alliance and make a counter offer that if Skerhogis is defeated he will be entitled to the power and fame that comes from it among mortals.
-[x] Give concession of shouldering restoration of his herald and promise further help in regaining his mobility. Make a point that despite everything you are God of your word and will respect the deal opposed to certain snake.