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A Simple Transaction I

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Rihaku said:
Hunger does have the Geas of Indenture... it's quite likely he'll have to kill more than his fair share of well-meaning heroes!
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Hyperbolic discounting makes killing this well-meaning hero much more distasteful than the deaths of any of those 80 quadrillion other suckers.

Your updates so far have managed to paint Hunger as a mostly likable guy, with protagonist centric morality carrying us through any sticky spots. But I think the thread is in for a rude awakening if we make it to the Human Sphere and there's no war going on: will we be the ones to spark open conflict? What if there are peace talks that happen at an inconvenient time?

Hunger's moral standing may not be the first thing we lose to the war, but I'm certain it will not be the final casualty.
 
Those of you voting for the Armament Fish acknowledge that we've got to wreck it, right? The option's morally unambiguous, but insanely risky and destroys an irreplaceable piece of Foremost tech. Salvaging or coopting doesn't qualify, look no further than the Tower fiasco for proof of that. Are you confident that history won't repeat itself, with the voterbase (and by extension Hunger) succumbing to greed and trying to preserve it? An Armament, even incomplete, represents potential sufficient to upend the balance of power in the Human Sphere. Hunger could essentially name his price, extract any concessions from any polity he pleases! This very update touches on what the Empire's willing to do for the sake of an Armament. What's a month of Decimation compared to that? It's not even a full percent of the life within his radius; weighed against the weapon's value, the correct decision is clear!

...or so the arguments to salvage rather than slay will go. Maybe they even have a point, but the one I'm making here is that a sure, swift solution is better than rolling the dice on Hunger's survival once again. Recognize that the risk isn't 'just' a three-pick fight with an Apocryphal proc waiting in the wings, it's in solidifying the characterization that makes Hunger willing to face such odds. In the long run, the unrelenting scythe of probability will cut him down as surely as anything the Lord Protector can call up. At a bare minimum, I expect victory to require invoking Silver of Evening's perfect defense, depriving us of it against the Tyrant. Also, if Gisena intends to come (she shouldn't, if the Fish wins) we'll have to defend her against a world-wracking monstrosity in a situation where her powers are useless.

On a surface level, Territorial Waters is safest option. And while it puts Hunger in the hot springs rather than the hot seat, the risks are felt elsewhere. In addition to the prosperity of people we assumed responsibility for, it costs time. Time for Gisena to craft an Artifact to facilitate the absorption process is also time for the Lord Protector to prepare, possibly killing the party members left behind. Sure, Hunger may be powerful enough to make it up to the Elixir Kingdom and may not believe that his crown confers any additional obligations. But frankly, I disagree; if a crown doesn't weigh heavily on the head, you're wearing the bloody thing wrong. Cavalier kingship is not a good look, and this could easily be a gateway to further sacrifices. Priority Two won, so Hunger won't be sticking around to repay his citizens for ripping out the economic backbone of their civilization anyway. Half of Indenture's tasks pertain to rule; the knock-on effects of such toxic characterization in the long run will do more damage than murdering one Despot.

Which brings us to Lord of Stalks, the route that's safe and swift. It's not appealing, but as the product of a Curse this choice isn't meant to be, we're trying to choose the lesser of three evils. There is a significant price to be paid in stability, yes, but Hunger will have three polities in his pocket and a supernaturally talented sovereign indebted to him if all goes well. Adorie has the ability and desire to do something about the destabilization, and can appease lingering Protector partisans by doing so! Two birds, one stone. Besides, something about the implicit acceptance of fascism in Stalks rankles, the idea that personal repugnance and abuse of one's friends and family can be absolved by sufficiently skilled administration is irksome. The good does not wash out the bad, nor the bad the good. I wouldn't choose to target Venitari on that basis alone, but the Geas of Indenture will ask more moral flexibility of us than this, in time.
 
[X] The Lord of Stalks

Everyone needs to consider the deep ethical ramifications of this choice.

If Hunger goes and kills the unique Armament Fish then he will no longer be a proponent of sustainable fishing!
 
Fanwork#5156 Words

Reaction: "Gird For Battle"

Rihaku said:
Gird For Battle
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The green title looks deceptively safe, much like the Chains option. Perhaps it's not solely a warning about the upcoming fight against the hidden guardian (and Tyrant if we'll have the time?), but also the Cursebearer Aobaru's awakening to Heroism will provoke? Just thinking about these future challenges gives me a headache. There's so little we know about them, and many typical ways to improve this sorry state of affairs like Divination will remain barred to us due to the anti-divinatory nature of all Cursebearers.

I'm curious just how much detail his Geas will give him about his task and what sort of Curses he carries to end up in a situation like this. Would be quite funny to see his reaction if he gets a brief task description like ours ('irrevocably kill the Chosen Hero of the Voyaging Realm within X years'), only to find out later that 'oh yeah, forgot to mention that the Hero has a Cursebearer mentor, tee-hee'. Who said Apocryphal is the only Curse that knows how to have fun?

I don't think we'll be lucky enough to get an inexperienced Cursebearer like Seram though. Not sure he'll have already finished one Geas task, - more seems unlikely given this is a max Tier 3 universe, unless he improves at a snail's pace, - or if he simply has combat expertise from his pre-Cursebearer life. It shouldn't be anything too out there though either way, probably a Tier 1 (physics) universe with spots of Tier 2 (conceptual stuff). Heh, maybe he'll be a super-scientist, he'll fit... right... in.

Oh god. Please tell me the Accursed hadn't made Dr. Apocalypse into a Cursebearer, I'm not sure we're ready for a genius of his caliber when he isn't steered by what sometimes feels like a horde of retarded monkeys. But man, this would fit so well with our earlier Sky Veil choice, wouldn't it? In the Voyaging Realm Apocalypse runs at you indeed. I don't remember if he was pure of body at 30 years old if one ignores all that crazy time-travel stuff, but I have a sinking suspicion that he was the type to be married to the job, so to speak, until Skyveil happened. Perfect Cursebearer material from the sound of things, isn't he? Maybe still a bit too powerful at 30 to be granted Progression, but it's not like he was lacking for opportunities to be crippled and on his last legs like Hunger.

Well, maybe he's too technologically inclined to adjust to the magics of the Voyaging Realm quickly enough? Yeah, surely he won't be able to find technology from Human Sphere and incorporate it into his arsenal to become even more terrifying at a pace befitting a Progression-type Cursebearer. The only way things could get worse is if he grabs his Armament where we missed out on ours, I would transform into a salt pillar on the spot! Well, maybe he will take Jeanne as his Lesser Remittance. Would hearing Jeanne lecture Gisena about her limited intelligence offset the feeling of loss?

Maybe I'm just panicking and this is going to be a run-of-the-mill Cursebearer, nothing special, as easy to swat as a fly. Yeah, why do I have trouble believing that...

Hunger mulled over his options. Ultimately it seemed likely that the Royalist faction would be far more permissive in their attitude towards the fate of the Tower. They were in dire straits, while the Protector was essentially secure in his power. There were abilities Hunger could offer the man, meritorious service or the use of potent magics, but he had no way to knowing whether such services would - or even could - outweigh the Tower's value in the Protector's eyes. Profit decoupled from risk at certain levels of attainment; for an autocrat with effectively absolute control, simply minimizing disruption could matter far more than expanding the scope of his conquests.

The Royalists, on the other hand, would be desperate for victory from any quarter; thus willing to pay a desperate price. Assuming they had forces sufficient to be worth allying with, they were probably the better option of the two, and certainly the more ethically palatable.
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Sometimes I'm ashamed of how much more thoughtful Hunger is than us. He can think up all sorts of important-sounding and plausible reasons for pursuing a particular course of action, and doesn't forget to pay attention to matters of morality either - 'ethically palatable' he says here, so it had been a consideration for him too. Me meanwhile? I just thought helping this captured Princess of a mythical kingdom fight her usurper was the cooler option, with everything else being a mere justification for my preferences I thought up later. It's better than the times I just vote for the lulz or because I really want that one power due to how awesome it sounds, but not by much.

It must be quite a task, trying to parse our votes and justifications into something at least somewhat congruent with Hunger's heroic characterization. Or any kind of characterization. Like this time, where Hunger considered which of the groups would be more willing to part with the Tower? I suspect quite a few of us hadn't considered this issue in much depth, focusing more on certain aspects of the presented blurbs rather than the consequences.

I do wonder what the alternative path of offering our services to the Lord Protector would have looked like. The trap makes it obvious that he already knows something about us from divining our companions, so he wouldn't be unprepared. I also suspect that he's pragmatic enough to agree to a trade if we offer something of equivalent or greater value. Not sure what that would be, as I don't think a wizard of his caliber lacks for life-extension magics, and the martial power we currently have on offer is strictly inferior (and far less reliable) than his Legions. Frankly, Hunger would appear as a resource that should be expended as quickly as possible, maybe by making him deal with the remaining Royalists?

And reneging on our promise would have been far from easy. In a later chapter we meet the lioness as an example of his capability to enforce oaths. While she manages to slip her leash briefly, she is nevertheless banished for the transgression, and we would likely suffer a much worse fate. Not to mention that Hunger is quite honorable in his own way and might detest breaking his word, even if it's to a Tyrant. Not sure what his principles say on that front, as it sounds like one of the situations where he should be willing to bend them, but it won't be good for his mental health or self-respect either way.

Much easier to simply choose the princess and leave those worries behind! Except for the little fact that we become an enemy of the Lord Protector, with predictable consequences...

"Well," Hunger said. "Since we ourselves are royalty now, it would only serve our purposes to defend the rights and privileges of our fellow monarchs. How easily power corrupts."
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Hunger is quite self-deprecating at times, isn't he? He used to make fun of nobles, but now that he has become a king the tables have turned! Well, taking over some nation was inevitable given what our Geas task is about, so it's best he gets used to it early. I don't think he has that much to fear about getting corrupted by power, at least when it comes to the political sort of influence. He's far too disinterested in telling people how to live their lives unless they're committing atrocities or forgoing basic human rights. Most of his Tyrant procs till now, what little of them we'd seen, had been mostly about not being willing to obey other people rather than trying to enforce his own views on others, though that line can be dreadfully thin at times.

Far more worrying is the idea that he would be corrupted by his personal power, getting used to just smashing through all obstacles in his way. Success isn't very conductive to helping one learn from one's mistakes, and while his strength will continue to develop unabashed, his decision making faculties might stagnate or even regress without significant setbacks. His behavior up till now would have been suicidal for anyone else, but he has survived and thrived thanks to his Progression. Hmm, is it mere recklessness, or just a sober understanding of his own potential and ruthless exploitation of such? We can continue to pretend it's the latter while we're still successful, I guess.

"Power is merely utility!" Gisena replied. "You'd only have been corrupted if you turned into a tyrant."

"Aren't I already one?" He raised an eyebrow.

"If that's your intention, you're doing a poor job of it!" she teased.

"Pffh," Aobaru protested. "Of course she'd say that, you've surrounded yourself with yes-men and women! A King, a Princess, a Duchess, a mercenary and a squire. Who could oppose you in the strength of your own court?"
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Not a mere tyrant, but a Tyrant! The one and only! No wonder Hunger fights other tyrants so desperately, he just doesn't want competition. And to be fair he seems to be doing a pretty good job of eliminating it! Makes one question whether him picking this Curse had been... doomed from the very start. Considering what all the other possibilities were, would someone like Hunger truly believe an inability to obey customs and laws to be crippling in his new circumstances? I don't think he relishes this particular Doom quite as much as Seram did his Brand, but so far he has suffered surprisingly little from Tyrant procs, be it through personal compatibility or simple circumstance. We'll have to see if this situation persists.

Gisena's relationship with this Curse is complex though. She's one of the best at navigating the Doom without triggering a hostile response, but she's also one of the people who are most aware what exactly that Curse does to him thanks to her Grace. I think she is trying to obliquely reassure Hunger that he isn't letting the power get to his head or allow the Doom to influence him unduly, but as Aobaru notes jokingly, it's not like she's the type to gainsay him.

Huh, has she ever actually argued with Hunger about anything serious or refused him something? They'd confided in each other and saved each others' lives multiple times, so it's not like the basis for their bond is shallow, plus contradicting the bearer of the Tyrant's Doom is a dangerous proposition, but it feels like they skipped whole phases of their relationship to arrive here. Or maybe I just can't see the it if she is trying to guide him towards certain opinions in subtle ways to avoid Curse procs.

Speaking of Aobaru, I like the direction he's developing in and am glad we had decided to pick Sky Veil. To have such banter come from their corner would be much more difficult if we were blasting people around us with our Charisma all the time. While I hope he isn't going to recklessly provoke a Tyrant proc at some point by being to stubborn to back off, it's good for Hunger to have people on his team that aren't afraid of telling him their opinion, even if it challenges his own views of the world.

"Maybe so," Hunger said. "Or perhaps I am merely a small fish in an even smaller pond. Nothing more than a frog in a well. For what is the trifling might of my Kingdom compared to the majesty of peerless Nilfel?"
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I'm once more amazed at the sort of stuff Hunger has retained after burning his memories. Memes, anime, now even xianxia tropes? It's convenient in that we as readers have an easier time connecting with him, of course, but the people around him might not get the full intent behind the jokes without context. Well, except for other isekai Earthlings like him, weirdos like Sten and maybe Gisena, should the Ring decide to share the memes with her.

By the way, it seems the Nilfelians had been getting on Hunger's nerves with their attitude. I mean, I expected nothing less from the people that call the surrounding polities Lesser Kingdoms, think reaver-squads are a great idea, and have switched to the worship of a Patron Spirit called the Grey Shadow. If you're going to be stereotypically evil, why not go all in, am I right? But they aren't doing themselves any favors with their attitude - the Temple Civ can attest that Hunger can be pretty radical if he thinks atrocities are being perpetuated unjustly. And while it has mostly been sunshine and roses so far during our trip through Nilfel, I have a sneaking suspicion we would get an entirely different picture of things if we were to visit one of their conquered territories.

Letrizia snickered. "These people do seem a bit full of themselves! Even compared to imperial nobility, they've had it easy. It must be nice to live in a land totally saturated by magic..."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Gisena said, frowning. "The magic of myth promises glory, but danger also. It simply doesn't offer power without commensurate cost."
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Most of the stronger magics in Rihakuverse do! Don't know if it's some kind of fundamental law that power has a cost, or if it's simply derived from (meta)physical limitations. I mean, the Doylist reason is probably that unbounded progression for free would make for boring stories, but there should be some in-universe reason why people don't break the setting over their knee. The Foremost had established the Interdict of Cognition, so it isn't out of the question that someone had also created rules designed to prevent such exploitation... maybe that's what the Accursed is rebelling against? Well, that's getting too deep into theories that won't become relevant anytime soon.

Interesting that Gisena is the critical party here. Her own homeland had also been a place steeped in magic, findross turning even a bland countryside into pastoral vistas. In fact, I would have suspected the cause of their mythical magics to be findross if it wasn't for the fact that Gisena hadn't mentioned it at all. Yet there exists a connection to the Builders in this place, if the unchosen Arcanist Shard option is anything to go by, so perhaps findross isn't completely uninvolved here. It's possible it exist in some sort of evolved state, much like Mythic Rank of the Walls appears superior to the base version. After all, findross is clearly not the only dross variant if Edeldross and Elixir are anything to go by, so who is to say that someone hadn't experimented with it in this place?

They set out in search of the Royalist inner circle, Hunger allowing his Rank to guide him in the absence of any solid leads. Despite the numerous and powerful magics in their arsenal, they lacked an easy means of information-gathering besides the roundabut method of Gisena's Artifice. He'd prioritized raw power and comprehensive defense over more utility-focused magics, which had served him well in battle but caused them to somewhat flounder here.
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Mm, we've felt the lack of utility effects more than once. The combat focus is what had allowed us to face challenges like the Temple and the Rotbeast and come out victorious, but we often find ourselves having to double down on our combat ability because we aren't capable of solving the problems in a lateral manner. Things are slowly changing of course, as Gisena's Artifice and our new Empyrean Signs will hopefully pick up the slack - and Graces too, but I don't know how much to expect from them or when we'll have the time to train them. Or maybe just getting more Rank will solve most problems? It certainly seems to work in this case, since broad reality manipulation isn't just a stick that we can use to hit our enemies with.

Eventually he found himself back in front of the stall where they'd eaten. Midday cast gleaming sunlight down across the white stone of the city, a haloed iridescence rising off the Miren expanse. But a breeze of the east wind was equal to that challenge, carrying heat away before the glow of the sun became a glower.
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A coincidence? Or can the Nilfeans control weather patterns? It wouldn't surprise me if they possessed the capability, though whether they're willing to pay the price for such feats of magic is another question. Hunger had the option to choose a Sign that would specifically deal with problems like these with relative ease, but I don't think magics of similar potency to the Empyrean Signs are common, so it would probably require a major working and constant supervision to prevent catastrophe if Nilfel were to bother with it.

The fish-vendor's stall now enjoyed bustling patronage, workers of all professions wrapped around the tiled sidewalk in patient anticipation of his marinade and dough. Yet the hawker waved Hunger over immediately when he saw him, pushing a tray of completed snacks into his hands.
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And of course it had been the vendor. Apocrypha-chan isn't the only one that has to keep their 'conservation of characters' skills fresh! I don't mind though, the vendor had been fun and being secretly a Royalist spy fits his backstory rather well. That he has such an in with the Princess and could lead us to the secret passage is a bit surprising, but, well, Rank. Getting lucky like that had probably been par for the course during Hunger's last isekai adventure, though he also had to work against Tyrant's influence, who had had greater Rank for most of the Hero's career. Hmm, I once again wonder how our plucky Hero had survived against a powerful, competent and supernaturally lucky opponent, if Fate had been dead. Sounds increasingly unlikely the more we learn about Rank...

Ignoring the envious glares of the customers, Hunger feigned aplomb as he took the food in hand. The vendor had greeted him convivially, and clasped his forearm to pull him close as if they were old war-buddies:

"I'd been looking for you. You're a mercenary, aren't you? You and your party. This trip isn't just for tourism."

Hunger played along, but kept his words noncommittal. "Anybody could be a 'mercenary' for the right job at the right price. It's not so much a calling as a vocation of circumstance."
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Much like traders could sometimes temporarily switch jobs to piracy if an opportunity arose, right? Except hopefully less amoral. We'll probably don the mask of a mercenary more than once in the future, since it's a simpler and more palatable explanation than 'my Curse compels me' and 'I need heroic feats to increase Rank'. Anywhere but in Nilfel, that is, because in this mythic kingdom having such a Curse might get barely more than a nod and the requirements for developing high Rank could be common knowledge.

The man chuckled. "Well said. I'd expect little less from a hero whose Pressure weighs so heavily upon the world. I've a job, if you'd be willing to hear it. And the reward would be no less than a prince's ransom!"
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Strange to hear Hunger being called both a mercenary and a hero at the same time. Shouldn't 'mercenary hero' be an oxymoron? Not that there's anything wrong with wanting compensation for one's efforts, and perhaps their definition of 'hero' is colored by their own cultural influences, much like in wuxia/xianxia, where its meaning would have been a bit foreign to our western senses. Maybe in Nilfel being a hero simply means having high Rank, power being a reason unto itself and uncolored by matters of morality. A hero then isn't necessarily someone who saves people, but a person performing grand deeds that reverberate through the Astral Realm and grant them power.

Well, there are apparently some other paths to achieving high Rank, like having sublime craftsmanship or being incredibly famous, but I reckon Hunger's battle-hardened appearance doesn't give the impression of someone who relies on making trinkets and solely spreading his name to acquire the power he has. Were the circumstances different, they would be far more careful about interacting with a guy like him, but the Royalists find themselves in desperate circumstances, their survival likely the result of the Tyrant being too focused on external conquest to pay them much attention.

Though, hmm, that sounds a bit too negligent coming from someone who had shown himself to be quite competent otherwise. I understand not killing the Princess if she is somehow magically important to the Kingdom, but why is Lord Eruntael still alive? It said that the Lord Protector can't afford to remove him lest he risk losing his elite forces or the support of the aristocracy, but he had more than a decade to solve the problem. This Lord must be quite a character to have survived and retained his power for so long. I hope we'll have more chances to interact with him, he sounds like quite an interesting person.

Hunger raised an eyebrow. Keen senses, to detect the Pressure that Hunger usually kept carefully restrained. Though, his power had grown swiftly in recent weeks, perhaps beyond his ability to effortlessly control. "You need help serving your overburdened customer line?"
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Were we so inclined, we could have made his stall the most popular place in all of Nilfel! Being a memetic hazard has its perks, though I don't think he would appreciate the fanatical crowds as much after they start clamoring to make us king. Jokes aside, we likely could have taken Nilfel fairly bloodlessly if we had more time. Assuming we could survive the Lord Protector's assassination attempts and deal with his schemes, of course. Our Charisma had reached pretty ridiculous levels even before we absorbed the Tower, so campaigning to dethrone the Lord Protector could have been quite effective.

The mention of uncontrolled Rank is worrying though, since we're going to get even more of it after acquiring Tears and Once and Future. I don't think it's going to be a problem in combat, but it's going to make undercover missions like this one a bit more difficult till we manage to reign in our Pressure. No idea how long that would take, or whether we can accelerate the process, or even how bad it really is. But we might want to hold back a bit in the Human Sphere at least, in case people there have ways to detect Pressure and would interpret ours an attack.

The vendor laughed again, waving him off. "Nah, let them wait. The anticipation is half the joy of eating! No, I confess to being a patriotic sort, and the state of Nilfellian commerce is so execrable these days. No concern for customer service, only the ceaseless churning-out of watered-down product, substitution of diligence for inspiration. That's why the genuine work is so hotly demanded! I'd like to reach the whole nation if I could. Feel free to eat, it's on the house. Think it over? I promise it'll be wholly worth your while."
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Well, doesn't that hit quite closely to home. His complaint wouldn't be out of place in the modern world, and combined with the Lord Protector's Patron Spirit, the Lord of Smoke and Toil, it makes me wonder whether the Lord Protector has otherworldly origins as well. Maybe not necessarily a modern Earth, but outsiders in possession of strange magics coming in through Astral Rifts are a common occurrence in the Voyaging Realm, so it wouldn't be all that strange for the usurper to be one as well. That he had managed to overthrow an entrenched government of the Mythic Kingdom speaks volumes of his capabilities, but this makes me a tad regretful we hadn't explored the other path - maybe we could have found common language with this guy. Doubtful, given his policies, but it might have been interesting in its own way.

Briefly Hunger felt the counterweight of the vendor's own Pressure, a gesture of sincerity. Formidable, only two or three steps below his own. This was a soldier capable of singlehandedly felling cities, well comparable to the Nilfellian captains he'd witnessed on patrol at the Walls. Power tightly clasped, feigning weakness, but Hunger had no doubt this man's 'knee wound' only bothered him about as much as his own injured lung. It wasn't a meaningless wound, but no insult of such meagre severity could unmake a warrior of capacity such as this.
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Hmm, just how much is 'two or three steps' below Hunger? Certainly not whole Rank steps. Perhaps Hunger measures Rank in increments of tenths? We had somewhere around Rank 7 before the Tower (together with HDS), and stuff like felling cities was described in Ushattered, and that was supposed to bring us to around our current level of Rank as well. Really hard to tell precisely how much he has, but ~Rank 6.7-6.8 might not be that far off? It's a respectable amount of power, but we could still defeat someone like that without much trouble, especially if he doesn't have the stats to match his Pressure.

All that said, all this talk reminds of that one time a question was posed of whether we could teach other people in the Human Sphere Accretion, and how Rihaku had reminded us that Accretion might be unique to us, preserved only through the might of the King's Scepter. And since Artifacts like the Tower and the Tears were just lying around, and we don't see any of these captains and other high-Rank citizens wielding weapons of legend, I think it is safe to assume that whatever method they employ to increase their Rank is different from Accretion. Might be worth it to learn from them? Not to mention all the other magics they're supposed to have at the Walls of Myth, which hopefully haven't collapsed after we took away the Tower...

Convenient as it appeared to be, Hunger had no intention of falling into the clutches of Nilfellian secret police. Though his Rank rarely steered him wrong, it was prudent to be cautious when plotting against a nation populated by formidable magi. He ate carefully as he strolled around the city, tracking down the others before finally returning to the hawker's plaza.
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Is it just Hunger being smart and taking precautions, or has bitter experience imparted these lessons? In the isekai world he had been opposed by a high-Rank Tyrant, and many lucky coincidences could have just been preludes to a trap. How many comrades had he lost till he had internalized such a paranoia even in regards to what should have been the results of his magical powers?

Much as we like to characterize Hunger as reckless, he knows how to be careful when it comes to seemingly fortuitous encounters. Perhaps it is better to describe him as overly ambitious rather than lacking caution? It's not that he doesn't consider consequences or possible dangers, it's just that he sets impossible goals and expects himself to reach them somehow. And to be fair he hasn't truly failed yet, so perhaps those beliefs are justified.

That said, the sense of caution he showcases here might not persist as Hunger grows in power. There are many examples of men growing drunk on their power and forgetting to apply it intelligently, and even the venerable Zang Kong had fallen to the curse of hubris once upon a time. Though I suppose we don't have as much to worry about on that front, as our Curses, especially Apocrypha, will be quick to punish any attempts to rest on his laurels and underestimate the opposition. Hard to pretend nothing can threaten you when something consistently throws level-appropriate challenges at you!

As they heartily consumed a second lunch, Hunger consulted Gisena on the matter.

"I don't think he works for the enemy," Gisena said thoughtfully, "And he doesn't have any unusual magics active. But it's best to be cautious nonetheless! Just because neither of us can sense any duplicity doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Let's consider the worst case. What if this is some form of trap, perhaps even an unwitting one? Do you have any wonderfully devastating powers you could pull out of a hat?"
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Funny that you mention that, Gisena. We did get a boat-load of EFBs after the Tower debacle, though that doesn't really count as 'at a drop of a hat'. Only 0-picks like Stances and Undying Vanguard truly do, and that's a one-time deal. Well, maybe we could start getting more elements of the Foe-Defeating Stance after we manage to acquire the All-Defeating Stance, so the problem of lacking trump cards we can pull out of nowhere isn't quite critical yet. Especially since we will have freed Stance slots with that, so it would behoove us to start getting more Stances. Maybe we could even manage to progress the All-Defeating Stance into the rumored All-Foe-Defeating Stance, should we manage to gather all components of the FDS?

Also, Gisena's words would have been almost prophetic and counted as foreshadowing if it wasn't for the fact that the update came after the trap was sprung and we had to deal with the results. Just a coincidence, or has Gisena started unconsciously tapping into the Ring's Time powers? Would be nice to have a qualified prophet on our side to tell us when we're about to do something really stupid...

"A few," Hunger admitted. He grew fastest when exposed to direct conflict, but there were powers he could tap into that were less affected by the Ring's out-of-battle dampening. The might of the Forebear was chained within his Blade, even its shallowest remnant sufficient to bring this world and all its denizens effortlessly to their knees. If he could somehow tap the true harmonics of that essence, rather than just skimming its cloud-shadow...

But that was something to be reserved for utmost emergencies. It was no trivial thing to assume a fraction, even a sliver, of the Forebear's mantle.
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Hmm, I had initially thought he meant the ADS, but the way he talks about assuming the Forebear's mantle and channeling the might of the Forebear has closer connotations with the Once and Future EFB for me. It isn't something he can just pick up all of a sudden, since he needs a pick to get it, unless the trap is multi-stage like the fight against Sten was, so it probably does describe ADS. It's not like it would be wrong to say that the All-Defeating Stance lets one carry a fraction of the Forebear's majesty and competence.

It's always interesting to see how Hunger perceives the powers he acquires vs. the way they're explained to us readers. We sometimes have access to OOC knowledge, but I don't think Hunger is exactly unaware of what advancements his Artifacts can give him, he just interprets things quite differently from us. Until he actually acquires the advancements, he might only get the broad strokes where we get the exact numbers.

"A few," he repeated firmly, "But it is as you said. The magic of myth does not offer power without commensurate cost."

Gisena tapped her chin. "In that case, I think it's our best lead! We didn't really have a plan besides relying on your Pressure and this is what it gave us. If it's not enough, we'll just have to pull out all the stops! Maybe I can awaken to some secret powers as well?"
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Yeah, just become a Renaissance Woman and blast everything in our way with your Nullity. Or charm the Legions of Nilfel with your mind-bending beauty. Hmm, actually, how would Renaissance Gisena compare to the current Hunger? The description back then said that her physical stats would be modestly above Hunger, so she would likely be quite a bit weaker unless she acquires some physical Graces with True Quintessence, but her Wits and Appearance were said to become tremendously superior. Our Wits haven't grown that much since then, so that would likely still remain true for this stat, but our Charisma had risen massively, thus I would wager we would have parity there or maybe even be superior to Gisena on that front - when we don't switch our Cha with Sky Veil, that is.

It seems to me that one EFB, even if it's actually four EFBs in one, in is no longer enough to let Gisena keep up with Hunger. You know what this means? That's right, we should get her two EFBs when the time comes! Certain elements of the community might transform into a pillar of salt on the spot if we dare do that though, but only the best for Gisena, am I right?

"What a terrible plan," Hunger shook his head. "If only we had some kind of genius around to ensure our plans were good!"

"A genius is still limited by the nature of her implements! I'm sure I could build you a Royalist Lens if we had half a week to spare..."
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If I didn't know better, I would almost suspect Gisena is surreptiously calling us a limited implement here, but surely she only means she's lacking the time and resources to make good Artifacts! I'm surprise by her willingness to give us a tool that would let us seek out more Princesses though. Isn't she worried about Hunger one day finding one that would supplant her role in the party? Or is it part of her nefarious plan to find and eliminate all competition?! Her boundless evil and the depths she is willing to sink to never cease to amaze me. If only a sword sworn to Love and Justice were to come save us from her clutches...

"And take away my scouter?" He clutched the Decimation Lens protectively. "I know your Truth-scanning has only limited bandwidth. Mitigating the Decimator is a highly productive function."
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Ouch. The joke hits that much harder since it's going to become far less useful pretty soon. Well, we're lucky that we have it now, both because it let us reach Nilfel that much faster and because we suddenly needed to find a second target, but normally a sane Hunger would try to deal with Decimation much sooner. Maybe we'll really have to convert the Lens into some other Divination implement after this debacle is over. Not sure what would be the best concept to target in its stead, maybe upcoming Apocryphal threats? Assuming Apo-chan doesn't react negatively to peeking attempts. Maybe it's best to simply make it into a seeker of treasures or appropriate challenges, to help our Progression.

"In that case," Gisena said cheerfully, "I suppose we're relying on a food-stall vendor to connect us to the forces of the Princess!"

"I suppose we are." Hunger squared his shoulders and returned to the hawker.
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She makes it sound so bizarre, as if food-stall vendors can't be great spies too! Well, maybe some suspicion is warranted given he led us right to a trap...

The man gave him a weathered smile. "So, what did your better half say?"

"We like your food and believe in your vision. Let's bring genuine inspiration back to this nation again. I suppose we'd be some flavor of public relations consultant?"

"You read my mind! Yes, that description fits perfectly."
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Putting 'murder the Lord Protector' under the aegis of this job might require some mental juggling! Or I guess we can just say we got rid of him since he proved too uncommunicative? Also, looking back at this conversation, is the 'we like your food' where Adorie got the idea she could pay us off by feeding us delicacies? Not that she's wholly wrong with her assumptions, it's just that our definition of 'food' is a bit different from the common one because of our Artifacts.

After he finished with the lunch rush, the vendor lead them through twisting corridors of older construction. They walked for nearly fifteen minutes - a fairly long distance given the superhuman capabilities of all involved - to reach a dilapidated wooden door overgrown by a trellis of vines.
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Hrm, I'm not sure Letrizia possesses a superhuman physique at all. Well, beyond any genetic modifications, the implants that Versch would allow and our Ennoblement, of course. And maybe whatever physical enhancements Sharpbright gives her, though so far the effects of this Elements we had seen went in the direction of telekinesis, enhancing and countering Rank. Seen like that, she would only appear slow in this party of monsters, wouldn't she?

Gisena blinked, eyes green. "Spatial magic, and powerful. Rather more formal and concrete than most of the energies here!"
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The Tower was a part of the divided Empyrean Mantle, which gives its bearer Empyrean Signs and has strong connections to the Diagram. Not surprising then that its power would be different from the mythical magics of Nilfel and have a more structured nature. The Diagram had been about exploring the world through Reason, which is quite divergent from the story-like magics of this place.

The vendor nodded. "The Lord Protector thought he'd closed all of these passageways, but there's a few that only the tower staff and garrison knew about. This'll take you straight to the Princess and the Opalescent Tower itself. She can make our case better than I ever could. Go on, she knows to be expecting you."
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I won't repeat the obligatory 'don't underestimate the Lord Protector', because he has already made his case. Strange that there would be a trap in this secret passage. Not exactly that it existed in the first place, but that they hadn't triggered the trap before. Likely a recent change as a reaction to our arrival. It wouldn't take a genius to realize that the arriving mercenaries might decide to visit the exiled Princess and make appropriate preparations.

Aobaru scoffed. "Why should a King wait on the whims of a princess? My teacher's way more important than this girl. Let her know we'll be through when we're well and ready!"
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I would facepalm if disclosing our status actually mattered that much at this juncture, but as is this should simply serve as an object lesson to keep his mouth shut on certain topics when we're trying to fly under the radar. I like how eagerly he defends Hunger, but it feels like unprovoked aggression. Then again, maybe we would have been better off waiting and carefully exploring first? A Chosen One's instincts can be frightfully on point sometimes.

"A king?" The vendor blinked slowly. An amused smile crept up his face. "Traveling so far from his kingdom? Well, I suppose stranger things have happened. You will find a stalwart ally in Nilfel, your majesty, should you restore our princess to her rightful crown."
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Hey, being a king doesn't preclude one from having fun! Hunger is a wandering king, but that doesn't mean he disregards the well-being of his kingdom.

...is what I would like to say, but it's true that we are a fair bit more irresponsible than what would be expected of a king and don't care that much about the responsibilities. It's not all doom and gloom, since Hunger is still a hero and doesn't want people to suffer if he can help it, but he doesn't value his subjects much more highly than complete strangers, and there are a lot of strangers to save these days.

"Is there something wrong with a King waiting on the whims of a Princess?" Gisena asked innocently, looking at Aobaru. "Shouldn't princesses exist to be spoiled and pampered by kings?"

"What you two get up to on your own time is your business," Aobaru said. "Don't involve me in that stuff!"
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Heh, it almost sounded like a 'TMI, mom, I don't want to hear the details of your relationship with dad'. I'm likely reading too much into it, since he has already grown up with parents, and not absentee ones like Letrizia did, but the idea is funny.

"We are supposed to be incognito," Hunger observed dryly. "Though I appreciate your enthusiasm in standing up for me, squire. And despite your total lack of operational awareness, you are correct. Kings exist to be figureheads to be spoiled by Princesses, especially Princesses Regent, who do all the paperwork for them."

"How repressive!" Gisena pouted. "You're doing a better job of being tyrannical already!'

He shrugged. "Practice makes perfect."
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Gisena should see it as a challenge! Yes, we're dumping all the boring work on her, but that just means that she should delegate as well, and create Artifacts to fill out the paperwork for her when it isn't possible! Maybe there's room for a Skynet in this story, given all the existing sky themes already? Gisena would have to circumvent the Interdict of Cognition somehow first, but I believe in our Sorceress! Now if only it wasn't such obvious Apocrypha bait...
 
Adhoc vote count started by Projectile on Aug 23, 2020 at 3:17 PM, finished with 211 posts and 56 votes.
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Zampano said:
Can you elaborate on this? I'm not sure I see how Adorie would score any points here. Wasn't her house scrupulously non-expansionist?
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We're likely to kill the Protector (or he'll kill us), but eliminating all the Legions sympathetic to him would be much harder. The Mirellyians aren't expansionist, so Adorie'll reel in the reaving squads, rescind recent policies, and leave the Lesser Kingdoms alone. Which is good, but means Nilfel will have a lot of blooded troops without a war to fight, a situation that's historically lead to banditry. Delta stabilization would give her a morally acceptable way to tie up a Legion or two and sate the Nilfellian hunger for imperialism that the Lord Protector whetted alongside our Affliction, if troops can be deployed beyond the Walls of Myth (assuming the Delta's located there, it's not totally clear). It's a half-baked idea for now, but Hunger really is in a decent position to take on challenges that can be solved by throwing peacekeeping forces at them.
 
Orm Embar said:
Hunger really is in a decent position to take on challenges that can be solved by throwing peacekeeping forces at them.
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How can you reconcile this argument with your vote for Priority Two? Hunger is leaving the Voyaging Realm behind: the administrative trials of Nilfel are not his concern. Unless your argument is that Adorie volunteer for some nation building responsibilities right after a civil war? Hunger is leaving her to her own devices and I don't expect her to jump into a second quagmire right after the bloodbath of restoring the throne from a usurper.
 
I'm watching the duck faction warily- they may be standing aside now, but ducks take to water like a duck takes to water.
 
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